A Frankfort man who stole a purse and ran over 76-year-old woman in Ballston Spa has been captured in Pennsylvania. 

Joseph Hess, 32, of Frankfort NY allegedly stole a pocketbook from the back seat of a car at McDonalds on Church Street in the Town of Ballston. When confronted by the robbery victim — a 76-year-old woman — he ran back to his vehicle and attempted to flee the scene, hitting the woman in the process. 

The incident occurred on Oct. 16 at around 6:45 p.m. The victim was transported to Albany Medical Center and treated for compound leg fractures where she has remained since the incident.  

After a five-day manhunt, Hess was located on the morning of Oct. 21 in a hotel in Tinicum Township, PA — a small town southwest of Philadelphia next to the airport. He was arrested by U.S. Marshalls and is currently being held in Delaware County awaiting extradition back to Saratoga. 

 “I am incredibly proud of our investigators who worked tirelessly to locate Hess,” said Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo. “I am grateful and relieved that he is off the streets and pray that justice will be served for the innocent victim.”

At the time of the incident, Hess’s vehicle had been reported stolen from Colonie. It was subsequently abandoned behind Mabey’s Moving and Storage on Route 67 with Hess seen fleeing into the woods, according to the Sherriff’s Office. 

Hess was also wanted in Frankfurt on weapons charges. 

The incident and subsequent manhunt caused concerns for the nearby Ballston Spa Central School District. Prior to the start of school, the Saratoga County Sherriff’s Office searched school buildings to ensure Hess wasn’t inside, according to Ballston Spa Mayor Frank Rossi. In addition to the search, the school was also placed on a state of “Secure Lockdown.” 

These concerns didn’t extend to that night’s homecoming football game as it went off without a hitch and resulted in Ballston Spa beating Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 20-13. 

As for Hess, he currently faces charges of assault in the 1st degree and robbery in the 1st degree — both of them class B felonies. 

Schuylerville Central School District Transportation Supervisor Chuck Barss was recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense with the Patriotic Employer Award, presented through the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) program. 

The distinction honors employers who show exceptional support for employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve. Barss was nominated by Erin Bryant, a Schuylerville Class of 2018 graduate and former bus driver, who is currently a crew chief for LC-130H and C-130H aircraft in the Air National Guard.

Bryant said she nominated Barss for his outstanding encouragement and understanding as she pursued her goal of joining the military — a journey he supported long before she ever left for training.

“Chuck understood that I wasn’t going to be there forever — that the military was my goal — but he still took the time to train me, employ me, and encourage me,” said Bryant. “He listened to me talk about joining for months and was genuinely excited for me.”

When Bryant left for basic military training, Barss stayed in contact with Bryant’s family, regularly checking in with her mother, a retired Schuylerville bus driver. He also ensured Bryant had a place to return to when her training ended.

“He kept me as a substitute driver so I would have a job waiting if I didn’t go on active duty orders,” Bryant explained. “When I was activated for a DOCCS [Department of Corrections] mission, he texted to make sure I was doing okay. That meant a lot.”

Bryant credits Barss for helping her take her first steps toward a military career — both by helping her earn her CDL Class B license and by giving her valuable mechanical training.

“Because of the CDL training Chuck helped me get, I was able to support my mission by driving transportation for airmen and soldiers to bring them home for a couple weeks,” she said. “He also gave me some mechanical background that helped me excel in my current career field.”

The Patriotic Employer Award recognizes Barss and the Schuylerville Central School Transportation Department for their ongoing commitment to supporting employees who serve. 

The accompanying Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve, signed by the Department of Defense, reaffirms the district’s pledge to uphold the rights and well-being of service members, veterans, and their families.

“Overall, Chuck went above and beyond as a boss to make sure I was taken care of while serving our country,” said Bryant. “He truly deserves this recognition.”

Barss will be recognized by the Board of Education during its Oct. 20th meeting.

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.