SARATOGA SPRINGS — Lake Avenue Elementary School held its 12th annual Reader’s Celebration with therapy dogs on Friday, allowing second-grade students the opportunity to practice their reading skills with some canine friends.
Lynn O’Rourke, Lake Ave’s K-2 reading teacher, had been offering a dog therapy program to second-grade students for over 20 years before it was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program returned this year, with O’Rourke saying students enjoy the experience.
On Friday, students sat outside in groups and discussed their books with two therapy dogs. One of the dogs was Luna, brought along by former Lake Ave librarian Kali Nagler, who said she began participating in the program as a way to continue working with children.
“I missed working with kids,” said Nagler. “Having a therapy dog gives me a good excuse to come and visit, or go to Skidmore … She’s got a perfect temperament for it, so it just seemed like a perfect thing to do, to share her with others.”
Nagler said it is “really rewarding” to be a part of the program.
“There’s nothing but pure joy in doing something like this,” Nagler said. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something good. I had to take vacation time to come here today to do this, but that’s how much I love doing it.”
O’Rourke’s class saw four dogs throughout the year, and hopes to have six next year. She said that several classes who did not have the opportunity to participate in the program during the pandemic were invited to do so at various points this year.
O’Rourke said that the Reader’s Celebration is ultimately a positive program that helps kids grow their confidence and reading abilities.
SARATOGA COUNTY —Primary Election races will take place in six municipalities in Saratoga County on Tuesday, June 27. Polls will be open 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.
In the city of Saratoga Springs, incumbent Democrat Mayor Ron Kim is facing a primary contest challenge from former city Public Safety Commissioner Chris Mathiesen. There are 8,330 registered Democrat voters in Saratoga Springs who may participate in the Primary Election.
Regardless of Tuesday’s outcome, both Kim and Mathiesen may still appear on the ballot in the general election in November, as Kim has additionally been endorsed by the Working Families Party and Mathiesen by the group One Saratoga. The Republican Party has endorsed John Safford for mayor.
Courtney DeLeonardis, chair of One Saratoga, last week announced that the group, “nonpartisan, dedicated to unity and good government in Saratoga Springs,” secured sufficient signatures – nearly 1,000 – to ensure a line on the November ballot.
To cast a ballot in the Primary Election, voters must be enrolled in the specific political party that is featured in that Primary Election.
This designation includes registered Democrats in Saratoga Springs, registered Conservatives in Clifton Park and Malta, and registered Republicans in Clifton Park, Day, Mechanicville and Providence.
Contested Primary elections, and parties involved: Town of Clifton Park
Conservative – Town Justice:
Vida Sheehan v. Robert A. Rybak.
Republican – Town Justice:
Vida Sheehan v. Robert A. Rybak.
Republican – Highway Superintendent:
Michael Traider v. Dahn S. Bull.
Town of Day
Republican – Town Councilmember (vote for 2): Lorraine Newton; Ellen Taylor; Joseph L. Flacke, Jr.; Cheryl L. Allen.
Town of Malta
Conservative – Town Councilmember (vote for 2): Murray Eitzmann; Timothy F. Dunn; Craig M. Warner.
Conservative – Judicial Delegate for the 113th Assembly District (vote for 2): Thomas J. Sartin, Jr.; Michael J. Welch; David F. Buchyn; Jeffrey A. Hurt.
Conservative – Alternate Judicial Delegate for the 113th Assembly District (vote for 2): Tristan A. Ramsdill; Janet Hurt; Michael R. Biss, Jr.; Isabel L. Sartin.
City of Mechanicville
Republican – Commissioner of Finance (remainder of term): Mark Seber v. Tamar Martin.
Town of Providence
Republican – Town Councilmember (vote for up to 2): Ann Morris; Randy Wolfe.
City of Saratoga Springs
Democratic – Ronald J. Kim v. Christian E. Mathiesen.
To find your polling place, go to: voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.
The Union Avenue side of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, on June 19, 2023. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The five prized trophies went missing shortly before the midnight hour on a late Thursday night in September 2013 in Saratoga Springs.
A decade later, a narrative describing their forced exit, subsequent whereabouts and ultimate outcome has come to light in a 62-page indictment announced last week by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The allegations charge nine Pennsylvania residents with conspiring to break into a dozen museums and institutions in multiple states – the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs among them – and stealing priceless works of art and sports memorabilia. The accusations claim the events transpired over a period of 20 years and included the transporting of stolen goods to Pennsylvania where some of the suspects melted the memorabilia down into discs and bars and sold the raw metals in the New York City area for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
The suspected “smash-and-grab” burglary in 2013 at the Union Avenue racing museum involved a man wearing dark clothing forcing their way into the museum. Among sounding alarms, triggering sensors and more than a dozen surveillance cameras, he vandalized two display cases and escaped through a separate exit with five trophies in a duffel bag, police described at the time. The entire ordeal took less than five minutes.
There were five trophies in all in the Saratoga heist – three gold and two silver collectively worth more than $400,000. They included a 1905 Saratoga Special Trophy, a 1903 Brighton Cup Trophy, a 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy made by Tiffany & Co. featuring semi-precious stones, and a pair of steeplechase trophies – one crafted in gold in 1914, the other in silver in 1923.
According to the indictment, 53-year-old Nicholas Dombek, 47-year-old Damien Boland and a person identified as “Conspirator No. 1” made multiple visits to Saratoga Springs prior to the September 2013 incident to view objects on display at the racing museum and observe security measures in place.
Boland is accused of driving Conspirator No. 1 to the museum on Sept. 13, when the latter broke in, used tools to smash multiple display cases and remove the five trophies. The two are then alleged to have driven in Boland’s car to the Saratoga Casino Hotel parking lot where the trophies were transferred to Conspirator No. 1’s car.
The two are said to have later met up at a Denny’s Restaurant in Dickson City, Pennsylvania to inventory the trophies before proceeding to Boland’s bar, Collier’s Bar in Scranton, where they melted the trophies down into metal pieces. They subsequently transported those metal pieces to New York City where they were sold for approximately $150,000 to $160,000. Conspirator No. 1 later paid Nicholas Dombek $30,000 from the proceeds of the sale in exchange for Dombek’s help in planning the theft, according to the documents.
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs released a brief statement this week which thanked law enforcement for their efforts and said they are “pleased to learn arrests have been made in conjunction with the 2013 theft of priceless trophies from our institution.”
The nine people accused overall are all Pennsylvania residents. Their alleged actions at times mimicked a Hassidic disguise to case out a mineralogical and geological museum in Massachusetts, and saw them pose as prospective members of a Country Club to secure a scouting tour of clubhouse memorabilia and evaluate on-premise security measures. There are additional accusations of being draped in a fireman’s uniform and carrying an axe in order to not draw suspicion prior to smashing display cases, as well as selling some of the goods “to an individual named ‘King Joe’” in New York City.
Among the various objects claimed to have been taken from numerous locations: 9 World Series rings awarded to Yogi Berra between 1947 and 1962; 6 championship boxing belts; a 1961 MVP Trophy awarded to Roger Maris, an Andy Warhol artwork created in 1984 titled “Le Grande Passion,” and a work created in 1949 by Jackson Pollock titled “Springs Winter.” Additionally, the allegations document the thefts of antique firearms worth more than $1.3 million; an 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp, $400,000 worth of gold nuggets and a variety of gems, minerals, jewelry, and other items taken from multiple stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. The whereabouts of some of the paintings and stolen objects to this day remain unknown.
The accused: Nicholas Dombek, age 53, Damien Boland, age 47, Alfred Atsus, age 47, and Joseph Atsus, age 48 – indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage, and interstate transportation of stolen property. All four men were also charged with substantive counts of theft of major artwork and the concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage; Dombek was further charged with a substantive count of interstate transportation of stolen property.
Five other individuals were charged by felony informations for the same conspiracy. They are: Thomas Trotta, age 48, Frank Tassiello, age 50, Daryl Rinker, age 50, Dawn Trotta, age 51, and Ralph Parry, age 45. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment and informations charge the nine with conspiring and other objects.
More than two dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the lengthy investigation, including the FBI, New York State Police, and the Saratoga Springs Police Department.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the conspiracy count is five years imprisonment, and for each of the other offenses is 10 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The latest expansion of The Bunker, an indoor golf simulator, bar, restaurant, and event space, will be coming to downtown Saratoga Springs.
The business will take over 11,000 square feet across two stories of 307 Broadway, said co-founder Troy Miller, who added that the company has been looking at expanding to Saratoga “for quite some time.”
Miller said the company had attempted to make prior deals to expand into Saratoga before securing a location in the Congress Park Centre.
“I guess it all worked out, because we’ve probably got one of the most prominent spots in Saratoga,” Miller said. “We’re excited about going there.”
The Bunker’s Saratoga Springs location will feature two bars, an event space, indoor golf simulators, and “high-level food”, said Miller.
He added that the location will “tie into the whole racetrack theme,” in a nod to the Saratoga Race Course. He also said that the company is proposing open-air concepts for garage windows on the first floor that could be raised to allow for indoor-outdoor dining.
“So you can be sitting inside, yet be right on Broadway,” Miller said.
He said The Bunker’s corporate chef will design “a little bit different” of a menu from other locations.
“Those details aren’t defined, but it’ll be upscale pub food,” said Miller. “We really take pride in our food as well.”
Miller said the company hopes to have its Saratoga location opened by the end of the year.
“My goal is to try to get open this year,” Miller said. “Whether it’s December 1st, January 1st, in that ballpark.”
The Bunker opened its first location in October 2019, and currently has locations in Clifton Park, Guilderland, Latham, North Greenbush, and New Hartford. In addition to the expansion to Saratoga Springs, plans are also underway for a casino-themed location near Rivers Casino in Schenectady.
Miller said business has been going “great” for the company, noting that it began as a passion project.
“It never really was meant to be a business when I first started, but that’s what it turned into,” said Miller. “My family’s involved in it, it’s opened up a lot of opportunities for friends. It’s just turned out to be a great, great thing.
“I love golf, and the hospitality business in general, so it’s pinch-yourself exciting.”
Black mesh fencing wraps around the new 24/7 homeless shelter at 4 Adelphi St. in Saratoga Springs. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS – A new homeless shelter opened on Adelphi Street this week, the first low barrier facility in Saratoga Springs to be open year-round.
The shelter will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and house 30 beds. Monday, June 12 marked the first day of operation. It was filled to capacity.
“It’s been calm,” Sybil Newell said Tuesday. Newell is the executive director of RISE Housing and Support Services – the agency operating the shelter. “We have some people staying here who go to work, so we had a handful of folks who got up this morning, had breakfast, and went to work.”
The shelter is located just west of South Broadway – in close proximity to the Saratoga County Mental Health Clinic building on South Broadway, and RISE’s main office on Union Street – and since 2020 operated seasonally on an emergency basis as a cold-weather “Code Blue” winter venue.
The new shelter involved a public-private partnership and the collaborative effort of many hands that saw to its fruition.
On June 9, the City Council staged a Special Meeting during which it unanimously approved an agreement with RISE to operate the shelter. The agency was the sole bidder for the project during the RFP process. The contract calls for the city to pay just under $240,000 for RISE to hire, train and staff the program, as well as maintain the facility through the balance of the 2023 calendar year.
Local developer Sonny Bonacio secured a five-year lease on the property, renovated the building, and is providing it rent free to RISE until 2025.
“We have a sublease with him for the next two years,” Newell said. “They [Bonacio Construction] also installed the fence and installed the air conditioning. They got us the laundry machines, built the staff office,” she said. Interior couches and the tables came from Stephen Sullivan at Longfellows. The Corinth Central School District donated 32 numbered lockers. Metal detectors are stationed at the entryway.
“We also had a private donor, who wants to remain anonymous, who bought all the beds. The outpouring of donations that has come from people has really helped us,” Newell said. The shelter offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and privacy fencing circling the exterior of the property bookends a collection of chairs and canopies.
In recent years, the city’s parking garage on Woodlawn Avenue has been pointed to as a central location where those lacking housing have congregated for extended periods of time. The hope is providing ample space, meals and beds at the 24/7 shelter location will help deliver people congregating at the parking garage and elsewhere to the Adelphi Street venue.
“The program will be low-barrier, which means that anyone is welcome and they are not required to participate in case management or any other services,” Newell said, adding that advocacy services will be available on-site for anyone seeking to use those services.
Former city mayor Meg Kelly says the idea was born while brainstorming ideas with Sonny Bonacio earlier this spring.
“The people who were really at the core of this are Sonny, myself, Sybil and (Rise Associate Executive Director) Lindsay Conners,” said Kelly, who is president of the Bonacio company West Side Management of Saratoga. “I said, let’s see if we take the Code Blue shelter and make it a year-round shelter. I talked to the owner of the property, and he said he had somebody else that wanted to rent it, so Sonny outbid him.
“I think the building is so nice that people want to be there, and they’ll get healthier in a healthy environment,” Kelly said. “Some people say: ‘You need to just give them the bare minimum.’ Well, how did that work out with Code Blue? They shut the doors and they all go over to the garage.”
Sheltering Saratoga Began A Decade Ago
The Code Blue Saratoga program was born from the tragic death of Nancy Pitts. The 54-year-old mother of two sought shelter on a Williams Street porch during a frigid December night in 2013. She was discovered by police the next morning. Within days of the homeless woman’s death, a cooperative partnership between then mayor-elect Joanne Yepsen, non-profit organizations, and members of the community was initiated and a plan set in motion to site an emergency shelter in the city.
A series of cold-weather shelters have followed, each on a temporary winter-to-spring basis. Numerous plans to site a permanent shelter in the city have been rejected at every turn by those living close-by or with nearby interests.
Most recently, plans to site a permanent shelter at a city-owned building at 5 Williams St. were stunted after some members of the Saratoga Central Catholic School, which partially borders the proposed shelter, expressed opposition to the siting of a shelter in close proximity to the private school. Shelters of Saratoga – the organization involved in the operations of the Code Blue shelter as well as long-term shelter plans – subsequently announced that “after hearing the concerns of the community, we’ve decided not to move forward with a shelter at 5 Williams St.”
“I think this new temporary shelter that was passed is a step in the right direction for Saratoga,” says Chris Pitts, son of Nancy Pitts, adding he was disappointed the Williams Street idea was “kicked to the curb.”
“I think it was/is the correct place for the permanent shelter. It’s in a great location where a significant amount of homeless people are anyways. And it would probably help convince some people who are otherwise on the fence of seeking help if it were convenient like that,” Pitts said. “I think they need to get some kind of permanent shelter ASAP. This temporary stuff is probably frustrating for some people who may be looking for help.”
The recently created Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness is currently searching for a permanent site for a homeless shelter and navigation center and is expected to make its recommendations to the City Council in July. Any permanent site, however, may require new construction and take significant time to complete, which factored into the city’s recent actions to issue an RFP and award the bid to RISE to operate the shelter on Adelphi Street.
“This is not intended to replace Code Blue…this is meant to be a temporary program until the Task Force and the city, the county, or any other agency comes up with a more permanent solution,” RISE’s Sybill Newell said.
It is not at this point known the role the county will play in the shelter, financially or otherwise. City Mayor Ron Kim suggested this week that members of the council meet monthly with residents and businesses living and working in the immediate area of the shelter to discuss any issues that may arise and to plan mitigation strategies.
For more information about the new shelter, RISE Housing and Support Services or how to help, go to: riseservices.org.
Photo provided by Saratoga Springs City School District.
MIDDLETOWN — Five local athletes capped off the outdoor track and field seasons in grand fashion on June 10, ending the spring season by earning NYSPHSAA State Championships in their respective events.
The Saratoga 4 x 800 relay team, consisting of Alycia Hart, McKinley Wheeler, Emily Bush, and Sheridan Wheeler, won the NYSPHSAA State Championship, while Ballston Spa’s Harriet Healey won the Division 1 State Championship in the 400-meter hurdles.
The Blue Streaks’ relay team combined for a time of 9:05.05, beating second-place Northport. Sheridan Wheeler also placed third in the 2,000-meter steeplechase (6:22.13), while Amelia McBain earned a second-place finish in the pole vault (12’ 3”).
Genevieve Duchaussee finished third in the pentathlon (3,218), while Emily Bush placed sixth in the 1,500-meters (4:29.94).
On the boys side, Joao Dos Anjos Neto finished sixth in the pole vault for the Blue Streaks (14’ 0”).
Ballston Spa junior Harriet Healey took home the NYSPHSAA Division 1 state title in the 400-meter hurdles, with a time of 1:02.01 besting Cornwall’s Caigan Leonard, who placed second. Gabrielle Bozeth also placed eighth in the 200-meter dash for the Scotties (25.64).
Proposed three-story addition on Broadway. Rendering: Dalpos Architects & Integrators.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A downtown section of Broadway may be getting taller.
Proprietors of 453 Broadway are looking to construct a new three-story addition over the existing one-story retail Cooperstown Distillery on the west side of Broadway.
The proposed structure, which would house 15 apartments, stands just south of Compton’s Restaurant and would combine the properties – 453 and 457 Broadway – by removing the existing legal property line. Angelo Ingrassia is reportedly the owner of both properties.
The one-story structure at 453 Broadway was constructed in the circa-1940s, and the adjacent 457 Broadway dates back to about the 1850s, according to the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation.
A Social Club for Businesspersons
At the Planning Board, a Special Use permit and Site Plan approval is sought at 118 and 121-125 Woodlawn Ave. for a “private/social club.”
The two parcels measure .14 acres and .23 acres, respectively. For more than a century, the property at 118 Woodlawn Ave. was owned by various religious operations and operated as a religious house of worship, according to documents submitted to the city. It has remained vacant since its latest purchase by EC Woodlawn Van Dam Property LLC in 2022.
The applicant is seeking to use 118 as a private/social club for businesspersons to be operated by a not-for-profit entity, with 121-125 Woodlawn to serve as off-street parking for club members. The building at 118 is located on the corner of Woodlawn Avenue and Van Dam Street, just east of the convergence of Broadway/Route 9 and the Saratoga Hilton.
This Saturday marks the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes. Let’s take a look at the history of Belmont Park and some of the memorable moments of the “Test of Champions.”
Belmont Park was the brainchild of August Belmont Jr. When it opened for it’s inaugural meeting in 1905, the facility was a marvel for its time. It was larger and more opulent than any other racetrack in the country.
Due to its deteriorating condition the track was rebuilt after the 1962 racing season. Opened for business again in 1968, the new version of Belmont was applauded for its attractive grounds and architectural design. It was built to accommodate large crowds in an era when upwards of 40,000 fans attended the races on any given Saturday. With the advent of OTB, Simulcast and the Casino boom those days are long over.
Plans have been made to replace the existing structure with a state of the art sports complex at the Long Island landmark. The racing facility will be built on a more manageable scale, allowing for a comfortable, fan friendly experience.
The Belmont Stakes has long been the premier event of the track’s prestigious Spring meeting. August Belmont Sr. founded the race in 1867. It had its inaugural running at Jerome Park. The elder Belmont was one of the original owners of the long departed track.
The race is the third jewel of the Triple Crown Series. It is one of America’s most sought after horse racing trophies. No less than 21 winners of the event have been named Horse of the Year in the 87 years that there has been polling for that honor. Of note, although there had been conflicting ones since 1936, it was not until 1971 that they were consolidated as one of the first Eclipse Awards.
Sir Barton was the first Triple Crown winner in 1919. Since then 36 three year olds have come to Belmont Park with Triple Crown aspirations. 23 of them failed in their attempt to navigate the mile and a half oval. The 13 that pranced into the winner’s circle have achieved immortality.
Those that took the Crown are familiar names. Secretariat, Citation, Count Fleet, Seattle Slew, Affirmed and American Pharoah are among them. The above mentioned are in the elite of America’s greatest racehorses.
Secretariat is without question the most memorable winner of the race.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of his awe inspiring performance. He absolutely annihilated his opposition with a 31 length victory. Add to that a
world record for the mile and a half distance.
Man O’ War, America’s most revered race horse took the 1920 Belmont by 20 lengths. He easily set the world record for the one and three eighth miles event. In 1926 the race was lengthened to its current mile and a half distance. Unfortunately the wonder horse was not entered in the Kentucky Derby, denying him what would have been a cakewalk to the Triple Crown.
The immensely talented Count Fleet turned more than a few heads when Johnny Longden guided him to a 25 length score in the 1943 rendition.
The three great warriors had beaten their opponents by a combined total of 76 lengths. Their grand exploits on the racetrack earned this trio first class tickets to the Pantheon of Champions.
Let’s take a look at a few of the unlucky ones that came so close to the Crown. One that stands out in the annals of the race is Tim Tam. In 1958 the Calumet Farms runner looked like a cinch to join Calumet’s Whirlaway and Citation as Triple Crown winners. To this day he is the shortest priced betting favorite to race in the Belmont Stakes. During the stretch run Tim Tam broke a bone in his right foreleg. He hung on for a gallant second to the Irish bred Cavan. Tim Tam is an honored member of horse racing’s Hall of Fame.
When we look at the could have beens, the great champion Spectacular Bid requires attention. It was a forgone conclusion that he would take the Belmont and join the Triple Crown Club. Unfortunately he stepped on a pin in his stall the night before the race. He most likely would have overcome that, except for an amateurish ride by his young and inexperienced jockey Ronnie Franklin. He chased a front running long shot who had absolutely no chance of winning the race. The foolish maneuver put an end to The Bid’s dream. His trainer Grover G Delp called him “the greatest horse to ever look through a bridle.” The heartfelt quote can be taken seriously…Spectacular Bid, a champion of the highest order.
Then there was Real Quiet. He took both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 1998. At the Belmont Stakes he drew clear of the field, only to be run down by Victory Gallup at the wire. With the closest finish in the history of the race, a mere nose separated Real Quiet from the immortals.
There won’t be a Triple Crown winner in this running of the Belmont Stakes. It by no means take diminishes the importance of the race. It stands on its own as one of Americas greatest sporting events.
Time is running out for the 1968 version of Belmont park. Soon work will begin on its transformation to an all new experience. The reconstruction effort will begin after next years Spring meeting. It is expected to reopen in 2026.
This Saturday, June 10th will be one of the last opportunities to witness the race at historic Belmont Park as it looks today. Sit back, take in the experience and enjoy the excitement that will unfold at the Belmont Stakes.. An American Tradition.
BALLSTON SPA — Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County has announced the groundbreaking of a new educational center at the 4-H Training Center.
The 3,650-square foot facility will be a Community STEM and Agricultural Educational Center, according to a press release. Greg Stevens, a program leader at the 4-H Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, said it will contain three additional classrooms and ADA-compliant bathrooms.
“Our hope for this facility is that we’re providing not only three additional classrooms for our 4-H programs, but in addition, we’re providing meeting space for the community, for Saratoga County residents, for other youth service organizations, adult service organizations,” said Stevens. “We’re really trying to make our 4-H Training Center a hub of activity in Saratoga County.”
One classroom will be used primarily as a 4-H STEM classroom, while the other two classrooms will be adjoining with a dividing wall, according to information on the CCE Saratoga website. The ADA-accessible restrooms will also contain showers.
Stevens said the project initially began roughly eight years ago, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Eight years ago, the 4-H Program Committee that I had at that time was tasked with identifying what we need out at our 44-acre facility,” Stevens said. “At that time, we were basically maxed out of the space to provide any other programming that we do, whether it be agriculture, STEM, 4-H shooting sports.”
After reviewing multiple options, Stevens said the group ultimately decided to construct a new building on the property.
“In the end, we landed on, ‘Let’s build new,’” said Stevens. “Let’s provide not only meeting space, but restrooms that are not only accessible to the new building, but are also accessible to folks that may want to use our pavilions, maybe using the pond to fish, or even the green space for any types of community events.”
He said many of the 4-H programs have seen strong involvement since the end of the pandemic.
“Ideally, we’re looking to make this a state-of-the-art classroom,” Stevens said. “We have a very large robotics program, and we’re looking for more space for them to meet. All of our programming since COVID has really rebounded, and the time is now.”
Saratoga County 4-H has the largest 4-H robotics program in New York State, according to the CCE Saratoga website.
The pandemic delayed fundraising for the project, and 4-H is currently seeking donations for the ‘Lead the Legacy’ campaign to help reach their target goal of $500,000. Currently, they have raised nearly $400,000, according to the release.
Financial support has been provided by Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family Foundation, Curtis Lumber, the Golub Foundation, and The Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust among others, the release states.
The 4-H group is looking for assistance in reaching their total goal of $500,000. For more information, visit https://ccesaratoga.org/4-h-youth-development/lead-the-legacy.
“We’ve raised about three-quarters of what we need to make it as we envision,” said Stevens. “We have enough to build the shell of the building, but we’re really still in need of some folks to help find not only our mission important, but the training center facility itself as a desirable location, and help support us getting over the top.”
Construction on the building initially began in mid-April. Stevens said that while contractors have not given a timeline, he hopes the facility can be opened by the fall.
“It’s been going really fast, and really well,” Stevens said. “All these people that are doing the work for us out there have really stepped up in the name of 4-H. … We’re excited about the future of our program, and the future of the 4-H Training Center.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs varsity girls lacrosse team beat Shaker on May 24 for its first Section 2 title since 2018, and the Blue Streaks’ sophomore goaltender played a major role in the team’s return to the top of Class A.
Jenna Amodio, Saratoga’s goalie, made 10 saves on 15 shots in the sectional championship, helping guide the Blue Streaks to an 8-5 win over the Blue Bison.
Amodio recorded 170 saves on the season, her second year as the team’s starting goaltender. Head coach Jennifer Furze said Amodio has “always been a standout.”
“She’s so quick, her instincts are just so fast,” said Furze. “She’s just an athlete, across the board.”
Amodio also plays hockey, and held an important role as a defender for the Adirondack United varsity girls hockey team in their run to the state championship game in February. She spent the previous winter playing with the Saratoga varsity boys hockey team.
“She never shuts down. Even on crease drives and things like that, she’ll come out and challenge the ball,” Furze said. “She’s not afraid of getting hit. She gets hit a lot. … She’s just an aggressive goaltender.”
Amodio has also stepped up in the postseason for the Blue Streaks on multiple occasions. In addition to this year’s sectional title game, her strong performance as a freshman helped Saratoga pull off an upset victory over top-seeded Bethlehem in triple overtime during last year’s Section 2 Class A semifinals.
“She was so instrumental in that win,” said Furze. “When we get into these high-intensity, pressured games, Jenna just comes up big for us. She thrives from it.”
Furze, who helped lead the Blue Streaks to a sectional championship in her first season as varsity coach, said the feeling is “surreal.” However, she also said that she recognized the team’s potential early on.
“From the beginning of the season, I saw the potential in this team. The connections, both on and off the field,” Furze said. “From very early on in the season, I just thought they had what it takes. … So I wasn’t entirely surprised, but just very excited for them.”
Furze said she is “so happy” she took the varsity role, saying she feels fortunate to coach the team.
“We had such a great, rewarding season,” said Furze. “It was awesome.”
