Saratoga Rower Finishes 10th at World Championships
Photo of Lauren O’Connor via U.S. Rowing.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Lauren O’Connor, a 2024 Olympian and member of the Saratoga Rowing Association, placed 10th overall at the World Rowing Championships last month in Shanghai, China with a time of 7:42.99. She earned the top-10 finish after placing 4th in the B Final.
In the 2024 Paris Olympics, O’Connor competed in the quadruple sculls B final, finishing third with a time of 6:31.71. Her quad team placed ninth overall. Following the games, she visited the White House alongside the rest of the Olympic and Paralympic teams.
“We sat and watched men’s gymnastics with Simone [Biles] and Jordan Chiles and they were explaining men’s gymnastics to us,” O’Connor said about her Olympic experience during an event at the Saratoga Springs Public Library last year. “[We sat] with the entire women’s rugby team as they’re just watching their sport being played. It was very cool to get that information from the person that is literally the best in the world at it.”
Burn Ban in Effect as Fire Risk Temporally Goes Up
Graphic by Julia Ettkin
While Saratoga residents have had to deal with smoke from the north this past summer, a much closer threat caused concern for state officials leading to a state-wide burn ban.
The ban came after much of the state saw the fire risk in much of the state raised to high — the third highest wildfire alert level in the state. By Oct. 8, however, this risk had dropped to moderate. The ban also comes at a time when much of New York is under a drought watch with some regions seeing drought warnings.
Under the ban, brush and debris clearing fires as well as uncontained camp and cooking fires were banned, however contained campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length are allowed.
“The ongoing nice weather is great for watching fall foliage or gathering with friends, but it also presents a higher risk for fires that put homes, businesses and our brave first responders at risk,” New York Governor Cathy Hochul said. “Many regions are already in a drought watch or warning due to the dry conditions, and with the fire risk rising in some parts of the state, it is important to keep everyone safe by implementing this temporary burn ban.”
In comparison to other states, New York doesn’t see many wildfires. In 2024, New York saw 125 fires resulting in 6,496 acres burned, according to the National Inter Agency Fire Center. This accounted for less than 1 percent of the 64,897 fires in the United States and much less than that in terms of the proportion of acres burned in the US.
Of the 125 New York fires, only three were caused by lightning, resulting in only an acre being burned, with the rest being caused by humans.
While fires out west tend to occur in the summer months, wild and brush fires in the northeast tend to occur in the spring and fall, according to the National Wildfire Coordination Group.
Back in March, a state of emergency was declared in New York due to fires on Long Island which burned 600 acres. Those fires were reportedly caused by someone trying to make smores in their backyard.
As for current conditions, the governor’s office said in a statement that since August there have been 64 wildfires in New York.
Conquering Everest
Just eight months after a severe knee injury, Saratoga native Kevin Roohan wins the race, sets the new course record, and finds redemption at one of Colorado’s fastest-growing endurance events.
Nothing motivates Kevin Roohan more than telling him something is impossible.
On September 27, at age 37, he won the demanding Elevation Everest, an event held at Winter Park Resort in Colorado, with an elevation gain similar to climbing Mount Everest.
Now an endurance athlete, Roohan played soccer and lacrosse before graduating from Saratoga Springs High School in 2005. He didn’t discover his passion for extreme rock climbing, ski mountaineering, and marathon racing until he moved west, in his twenties.
“Part of what I love about it is the unexpected challenges and the mystery of not knowing what’s going to happen up there,” said Kevin. “You have to push yourself further than you ever have before.”
Climbing into the Unknown
When Kevin moved out west 17 years ago, he didn’t know much about the sports that now move him to compete. He just wanted to ski.
Skiing led to rock climbing and ski mountaineering. He discovered a knack for running and ultrarunning in his thirties, after sustaining injuries that prevented him from climbing. A decade ago, he moved to Utah and his desire to compete in endurance events grew. He started competing in ultramarathons, ranging from 50 kilometers up to 80 miles.
“I had a good mentality for it. It was an avenue that I could excel at. I have the mental fortitude and mental capacity to compete. I’ve never been the fastest or the strongest, and when I was growing up, I never felt particularly gifted physically. My strength lies more in being able to work through adversity,” he said. “I stay positive, stay focused, and stay with it when others fall apart. I tend to just hang in there. I endure and try hard and am able to withstand. When others give up, I look for a way through.”
Whether skiing a technically challenging alpine descent or scaling a total elevation gain of 30,000+ feet like he did this fall, Kevin enjoys challenges that test the limits of what any human body can endure.
“It’s never too late to find your passion and what you’re good at,” he said.
Hitting the Roadblock that Propelled Him Forward
Last summer, while running along an 80-mile trail at night with nothing but a headlamp to illuminate his path, Kevin began hallucinating, imaging the shadows cast by trees and rocks in the desolate landscape were something (or someone!) they were not.
Nothing has scared him more, however, than tearing his knee’s ACL muscle this winter. While working hard to recover, conversations about professional representation dried up, trips were cancelled, and plans to team up with other athletes disintegrated.
“People were letting me know that I was no longer of interest to them,” said Roohan. “I think that served as the greatest motivation for me in recovery – people thinking I wasn’t capable of doing something.”
Extreme (But Within Reason)
Kevin made it his goal to bounce back quicker than the doctors told him was possible. He hit the gym but needed a goal to aim for. That’s when his friend told him about Elevation Everest, a unique uphill-only challenge held in a controlled resort setting that reduces isolation and the severe risks present in other extreme competitions.
The Full Everest, that Kevn signed up to compete in, consists of a 2.2-mile lap up the mountain, followed by an eight-minute gondola ride down, repeated 19 times. Last year, only one person completed in the 17.5 hours allotted.
“It’s really not for the faint of heart. It’s the real deal,” said the race director when Roohan inquired about signing up.
Race Day Strategy
An hour before the race, Roohan ate a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter, banana, and mixed berries. He loaded up on electrolytes and lots of coffee. It was his usual routine, but that day, he was feeling nauseous.
Roohan’s strategy was to win. He picked out the leader among the 385 racers that day (a man roughly a decade younger) and rode his heels up the mountain. His early climbs averaged 32-35 minutes through lap five.
He stood or paced during the gondola ride down to resist his legs freezing up and called down to his partner, Andy, at base camp, to ready supplies; sports gel, drink mix, water, a sunshirt, hat, glasses, etc. as they were needed.
Running the Distance
The chaotic chase continued but this unforgiving pace was unsustainable, and something had to give. Roohan’s legs felt heavy, it was the heat of the day, and he was beginning to question if he could maintain when he overheard the race leader tell reporters that “He felt like dirt.”
The comment blew wind into Roohan’s exhausted sails. “I could taste the blood in the water,” he said. His nausea subsided, the sun slipped behind the clouds, and his legs felt fresh again. Mid-race, he settled into a 37–41-minute lap average.
“I’ve done enough of these to know that the way you feel is always changing and things can change in an instant. I know feelings are not permanent,” he said. “When the adrenaline kicks in, pain is the new normal. I’ve heard people refer to it as existing in the ‘pain cave’. It’s when everything hurts and things feel really grim. What it all boils down to is how you react in these moments. You have to find comfort in the uncomfortable, move well, and think positive. It’s mental gymnastics,” he said.
Roohan pushed the pace, gained the lead, and achieved a commanding 15:27:55 first place finish, setting the new course record by almost two hours.
“There was a flood of relief. I had done it faster than anyone else. It felt like a slice of redemption for me. I feel proud I can still hang. This story isn’t over for me,” he said.
Since Roohan missed most of last season on the slopes, he’s looking forward to strapping on his skis this winter, summitting and skiing some of the hardest peaks in the world while enjoying a newfound appreciation for the sport. Unsure of what his next will be, he will continue building on his fitness across various disciplines and stay ready for the next challenge that comes his way.
Putnam Place Goat Dairy
Photo provided by Saratoga County History Center. Putman Goat Dairy Cart on Broadway
In July of 1940, Harry & Eunice VanAlst Brower & Eunice’s twelve-year-old son Carleton Chadbourne, left their home in Mount Kisco, Westchester County, New York, to reside for the summer season in Saratoga Springs. The family would be staying at Putnam Place, the ancestral home of Mrs. Brower, a three-story, 25-room mansion that sat on a parcel of land that is now Saratoga Hospital’s Myrtle Street Park complex. The former Miss Putnam, Eunice, was heir to the Putnam line that can be traced back to the earliest days of Saratoga Springs.
Eunice moved to New York City with her mother after her father had died in World War I. She later reminisced about her return to Putnam Place in an interview with Saratoga Historian Jean McGregor published in the September 20, 1946, Saratogian: “I had never forgotten the beauty and peace of Putnam Place, and I had cherished the many memories that on my return became reality again.” Putnam Place must have had a strong pull on the Brower family as by the end of the year they had left Westchester County, taking up residence at Putnam Place where they soon started a family business raising goats and selling their milk.
So, why did this middle-aged Ivy League educated down state society couple choose to pursue farming? My search uncovered no clear answer, though when interviewed after a year and a half in business, both were clearly pleased with their decision. As the couple sat together in the dairy’s outdoor seating area Mr. Browers shared his pleasure with the way those in the area had begun to realize the benefits of goat’s milk with their products being used as far away as Schenectady. The article, published in the July 2, 1942, Saratogian told this about Eunice Brower:
Mrs. Brower is quite as much in earnest about the business as her husband, who told me “She has turned out to be a regular veterinarian in case any of the goats are taken ill. She knows just what to do.” She loved the work as well as her husband, and so pleasant and delightful is their new venture that over the weekend both had to turn in to help with the numerous parties there.
The advertising of both the dairy and the benefits of goat’s milk was a large part of the Browers’ marketing plan. In 1941 the dairy ran at least a dozen different ads, with catchy phrases and gimmicks that were sure to catch the attention of those reading the Saratogian newspaper. Another part of their strategy to bring their product into the public eye was what today we would call direct marketing. In the Saratogian during June the dairy ran the following advertisement: “Young girl or boy, must be 16 to 18, about 5 ft. 6 in. tall with sales personality. To sell goats milk during season. Apply in person, 12 to 1 p.m. Putnam Place Goat Dairy, Inc.”
The search for a salesperson was successful and that summer a young man wearing the same uniform worn by employees in the goat milk processing room guided a goat-powered cart selling cups of fresh goat’s milk on the streets of downtown Saratoga Springs. We are fortunate that a photograph of one of these carts, as it sat in front of the Edelstein Jewelry store in downtown Saratoga, has survived and can be included in this story.
In another effort to promote the value of their product that summer, the dairy published a brochure extolling the science supporting goat milk’s safety and benefits. This eight-page pamphlet with its whimsical goat logo on the front weighed heavily on scientific charts and calculations comparing the fat content, curd tension, and vitamin content of cow and goat milk. If nothing else, this promotional tool would overwhelm the average reader with information leading them to believe that countless experts recommended the milk of goats. The last page reinforces this by giving the names of thirty physicians, scientists, and government organizations as sources for the tract. To ensure that the reader would patronize Putnam Place Goat Dairy, these Road Directions were included:
The dairy is situated about one and a half miles from the center of Saratoga Springs. It may be reached by proceeding along Church Street from the west or east to Myrtle Street which is adjacent to the Saratoga Hospital. On entering Myrtle Street proceed north for about five hundred yards, to the dairy.
In 1942, their second year of operation, the Browers opened an outdoor milk and ice cream bar at Putnam Place. To accommodate their customers, tables with oversized umbrellas were placed under the large trees surrounding the mansion. This cool and shady spot soon became a destination for young and old alike. To draw in even more customers, in early summer they added “Beefburger Heaven” and began offering a full menu, waitresses, and hours that extended as late as 11 p.m. As with their goat’s milk, advertising for their menu choices was highlighted with names guaranteed to grab the reader’s attention such as CubanBurger and WineBurger.
Unfortunately, this expansion of their business was short-lived as only a week after closing the outdoor restaurant for the season, the Browers posted a notice in the Saratogian that they would be closing their dairy operation for the “duration of the war.”
Behind the scenes at Putnam Place, the family had begun to raise chickens and with the closing of the dairy focused on raising the poultry and selling dressed ready-to-cook birds. As with the dairy operation, help wanted advertisements went out for people to work in their processing plant and to assist with the clerical work. Soon even the business name was changed to Saratoga Poultry. In 1946 the Brower family put the whole operation up for sale, advertising an “exceptional broiler farm completely equipped to raise and dress for market 50,000 broilers yearly.”
At the same time, the family began selling off the contents of Putnam Place and in 1947 the mansion itself was sold to Morris Eisland ending nearly 150 years of ownership of the property by the Putnam family. Eisland, who had owned another hotel by the same name on Phila Street during the 1930s, operated the Iceland Hotel into the 1960s. After years of abandonment and deterioration, the historic building burned to the ground in 1973.
Sources:
newspaper archives at nyhistoricnewpapers.org and fultonsearch.com. Rachel Clothier, Town of Corinth Historian
High School Scores & Highlights: Saratoga Running Back Leads New York State
BLUE STREAKS SHATTER SHAKER, CORYEA ASTONISHES
The Saratoga Springs varsity football team snapped a long losing streak to Shaker with a 28-21 victory last Friday night. For the Blue Streaks, who are now 3-1 on the season, quarterback Bobby Morris completed 7 of 11 passes for 56 yards while senior running back Benjamin Coryea rushed for an astounding 334 yards on 41 carries, reaching the endzone 4 times. In just four games this season, Coryea has accumulated 822 rushing yards on 99 carries for an average of 8.3 yards per carry. He’s scored a touchdown at least once in every game, including three times against Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake on Sept. 12. According to stats compiled on MaxPreps, Coryea currently has more total rushing yards than any other high school football player in New York State, averaging 205.5 per game. The second-highest yardage total is 687, far behind Coryea.
The Blue Streaks next face Colonie Central on Friday night.
STATE CHAMP SCHUYLERVILLE UNDEFEATED THROUGH FOUR
The Schuylerville varsity football team, reigning Class C state champions, continued their unbeaten streak last Friday with a 41 to 16 win against Granville/Whitehall. The Horses dominated early, leading 27 to 0 at halftime. Granville scored all 16 of its points in the third quarter, but Schuylerville nailed the coffin shut with 14 additional points in the second half. For the Black Horses, sophomore Ernie DaCosta rushed for 116 yards on 10 carries, scoring 2 touchdowns. DaCosta also led the team in receptions, nabbing the ball twice for 50 receiving yards and another touchdown. Senior quarterback Ben VanVegthen had 50 passing yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception while also contributing 48 rushing yards and a rushing TD of his own. Junior Max Montgomery also chipped in 68 rushing yards and found the endzone.
The undefeated 4-0 Horses next face Hoosick Falls/Tamarac on Friday night.
SARATOGA FIELD HOCKEY WINS 4 STRAIGHT
The Saratoga Springs varsity field hockey team won four games in a row to close out September, including two dominant 8-0 shutout victories against Shaker and Columbia.
Against Shaker on Sept. 29, standout Mia Khazin had 3 goals for the Blue Streaks; Andi Shiffer added 3 goals and 1 assist; and Madison Finn and Roisin Finnegan added another goal each. Overall, Saratoga took 23 shots while Shaker had none.
Against Columbia on Sept. 26, Finn earned 3 goals and 1 assist; Khazin had 2 goals and 1 assist; and Catie Firehock, Andi Shiffer, and Finnegan each contributed 1 goal apiece. Alexis Georgeadis also earned 4 saves.
The field hockey team is now 9-2 on the season heading into an Oct. 3 contest at Niskayuna.
SPA CATHOLIC VOLLEYBALL SQUAD VICTORIOUS
The Saratoga Central Catholic volleyball team improved to 9-4-1 on the season after beating Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons 3-1. For the Saints, Emery Moser had 8 aces, 9 kills, and 19 assists; Brooke Nucera earned 15 assists and 2 aces; and Gia Roche had 11 kills and 6 aces.
BLACK HORSES SHUT OUT SCOTIA, BEAT BROADALBIN
Colden Harrison recorded a hat trick to lead the Schuylerville boys soccer team to a 3-0 win. Dean Barraclough and Thomas Tyler each contributed an assist, and Ethan Spodnick earned a save for the Black Horses, who are now 4-4-2 overall and 4-0 in their league.
Prior to the shutout, Schuylerville defeated Broadalbin-Perth on Sept. 24, 4 to 1. After a scoreless first half, the Horses scored 4 goals in seven minutes to begin the second half and cruised to victory. Thomas Tyler tallied 2 goals and an assist, while Colden Harrison had one goal and an assist. Dean Barraclough also had a goal. Schuylerville and Broadalbin battled through torrential rain throughout the match.
SAINTS SOCCER WIN AGAIN
On Sept. 22, the Saratoga Central Catholic girls soccer team trounced Watervliet 7 to 1 at Gavin Park. For the Saints, co-captain Addison Quail earned 4 goals to lead the way, while Alison Fuller found the net twice, and Sophia Ryan chipped in a goal as well. Spa Catholic followed up the W with another victory (2-0 against Gloversville on Sept. 26) and a loss (3-0 to Corinth). The team’s season record stood at 4-6-1 heading into an Oct. 2 showdown with Whitehall.
SSCSD Becomes First District in the Country to Offer K–12 Biking Program
“It is nothing short of amazing that this K–12 initiative to get all SSCSD kids on bikes got funded and rolled out in three years,” said Kelsey Allen, Physical Education Department Head. “This could not have been done without the vision, passion, and dedication of Anna Laloë and the rest of the Shredders organization. Anna went to Coach Ricupero at Greenfield Elementary in the fall of 2022 with a vision and a plan. Only three years later, that vision is now a reality! The positive impact this programming will have on our students, school, and community is infinite. Our physical education teachers are dedicated to running this program and making sure all kids, K–12, have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to ride bikes for the rest of their lives.”
“We are so grateful for the incredible collaboration with the Saratoga Springs City School District over the last three years,” said Anna Laloë, Executive Director of Saratoga Shredders. “Thanks to the generosity of our local individual and foundation donors, Shredders MTB raised over $100,000 to provide more than 250 bikes, helmets, curriculum, and teacher training to the district. In September, we made history as the first district in the nation to bring biking into the physical education curriculum from kindergarten through 12th grade. It’s an exciting milestone for Saratoga and a powerful example of what can happen when a community comes together to remove barriers and create opportunities for all kids.”
The district celebrated the program’s completion with a High School Mountain Bike Roll-Out Celebration on September 26, where students, teachers, and representatives from the Saratoga Shredders showcased the new high school bikes and shared their excitement for the initiative.
New Numbers Show Economic Impact of Battlefield on Local Area
A new National Park Service report shows that 116,537 visitors to Saratoga National Historical Park in 2024 spent $8,200,000 in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $10,383,000.
“People come to Saratoga National Historical Park to enjoy and explore the historic landscapes where the pivotal Battles of Saratoga and the resulting first surrender of a British army took place and end up supporting the US and local economies along the way,” said Superintendent Leslie Morlock. “We’re proud that Saratoga National Historical Park generates $10.4 million in revenue to communities near the park.”
The National Park Service report, 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that visitors spent $29 billion in communities near national parks. This spending provided $18.8 billion in labor income and $56.3 in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $11.1 billion in economic output. Restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.7 billion in economic output.
An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS website.
To learn more about national parks in New York and how the National Park Service works with New York communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/newyork.
One Rescued from Mohawk River in Halfmoon
On Monday, September 29, 2025, at approximately 6:56 AM, the Halfmoon Fire Department was dispatched to the area of Terminal Drive in the Town of Halfmoon for a report of a person in the water in need of assistance.
First responders were on scene within minutes, including the Chief of the neighboring West Crescent Fire Department. The West Crescent Fire Chief visually located the subject in the Mohawk River, east of his position, and quickly relayed the information to Halfmoon Fire Department Command. Responders were then redirected to a residence on Church Hill Road, and a second alarm was requested to bring in additional resources.
A firefighter from the Halfmoon Fire Department utilized a kayak to reach and secure the individual, who was still conscious and above water. With the assistance of the West Crescent Fire Department’s rescue boat, the subject was safely removed from the Mohawk River and transported to a nearby boat dock. From there, emergency medical services from Clifton Park Halfmoon Ambulance provided treatment and transported the individual to a local hospital.
“We are proud of the swift and coordinated efforts of all agencies involved,” said Chief Tony Bonventre of the Halfmoon-Waterford Fire District #1. “This successful rescue highlights the importance of inter-agency cooperation and the unwavering dedication of our first responders.”
In total, eleven fire, EMS and law enforcement agencies responded to the rescue including the aforementioned Clifton Park Halfmoon Ambulance and West Crescent Fire Department, as well as the Waterford, Northside, Hillcrest, Boght, and Verdoy Fire Departments. Colonie EMS, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police also responded.