BALLSTON SPA — For eleven minutes on Thursday afternoon more than a dozen members representing the legislative authority of Saratoga County government sat in silence and listened, the gravity of the moment spreading across their faces.  

The supervisors spent the earlier part of their monthly meeting working on the executive decisions for which they had been elected – authorizing memorandums, accepting grants, amending policies and designating for use funds in Saratoga County’s nearly half-billion-dollar annual budget.  

When Ballston Spa resident Cari Scribner stepped to the mic to hold up a photograph during the meeting’s Public Input segment, silence fell upon the large room.  

“This is my son Nicholas,” she began. “He worked for the Saratoga County Sewer district.” 

Nicholas Scribner grew up in Ballston Spa, graduated from Ballston Spa High, served four years as a lifeguard at the village pool – “after that decided he didn’t want children,” his mom quipped – and worked as an associate electrician for the Saratoga County sewer system. “It was a job he loved.” After his death last November, the American flag was lowered to half-staff and flew over county facilities for seven days. 

 “Nick had a very common affliction: insomnia. Since he was a child, he could not sleep,” Scribner said. “A friend told him about an herbal, all-natural energy enhancer to overcome fatigue with no side effects. This substance was kratom. Of all the adults that I’ve talked to about it about 10% have heard of it; of all the kids I’ve talked to about it, it’s 100%.”

When Nick was 17, a doctor prescribed medicine to help with insomnia. “In an effort to take something from nature rather than from a pharmaceutical company, my son chose this all-natural substance,” Scribner said.  “And that choice ended his life.” 

Kratom – a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, commonly refers to an herbal substance that can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects, according to the National Institutes of Health.  While its use or sale has been banned or restricted in several countries, kratom and kratom-based products are currently legal and accessible in many areas. 

“Kratom managed to stay under the radar. Most adults have never heard of it, but here is its tricky little secret: it is enormously addictive. It affects the same opiate brain reducers as morphine, exposing users to high risks of addiction, abuse and dependence,” Scribner said. Recent media reports have referred to it as “gas station heroin.”  It may be sold as powder or gel, tea, gummies, fruit flavored energy drinks and honey sticks.  

“Kratom sells all over Saratoga County at gas stations and quick stop markets,” said Scribner, displaying a colorful can labeled as kratom Seltzer energy drink to the supervisors in the room. “I purchased this in the village for about $7. Zero sugar, zero alcohol, zero calories – OK, great!  And the name on it: A Different Kind Of Energy Drink, Watermelon Candy Kratom Seltzer,” said Scribner, gesturing to the can. “Now who is this watermelon seltzer with a cartoon rabbit aimed at?”

While there are no uses for kratom approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, people report using kratom to manage drug withdrawal symptoms and cravings (especially related to opioid use), pain, fatigue and mental health problems, according to the NIH. An estimated 1.7 million Americans aged 12 and older used kratom in 2021. It contains two main chemical compounds which bind to the same receptors in the brain as opioid drugs such as codeine.

“Within a short time unless they keep upping their dose, kratom users will experience shocking side effects – including crushing stomach pain, migraines, tremors, hot flashes, insomnia. My son was trying to overcome insomnia and chose something that caused insomnia. No side effects on the can. Nowhere does it say this is what it will cause, no warnings,” Scribner said.  

“In 2016, in response to increasing calls from poison control centers, the DEA sought to classify kratom as a Schedule 1 drug. This means the substance has no currently accepted medical use and high potential for abuse. But no action was taken. And you know what? My son would be alive if they had done something in 2016.”   

Without federal action a handful of states have taken steps to protect its people, she says, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island and Vermont among them. There are currently no age restrictions in New York state to buy kratom. 

“Due to my big mouth all over Albany,” Scribner said there are currently four bills in the New York State Assembly and one in the New York State Senate. Some simply place purchase age minimums. A recent state Senate Bill, sponsored by Sen. Patricia Fahy and introduced in February, seeks to prohibit the sale of kratom to individuals under the age of 21, imposing a civil penalty of up to $500 for its sale. 

“We all know how kids are. Someone who is 22 will get it and pass it around. I mean that’s what we did with cigarettes back in the day,” Scribner said. 

“Nick did not overdose on kratom or mix it with other drugs or alcohol. His death was a complete accident. Two common kratom side effects, again not listed anywhere, are vomiting and catatonic sleep,” Scribner said. “He lived alone and while sleeping on his back in November he began to wretch, couldn’t turn over, and asphyxiated from the contents of his stomach. Twenty-seven years old. His brother found him later, already cold.”

Scribner urged supervisors and residents to contact legislators to support the bills. 

“As a family we are gutted. None of us sleep. I cry in waiting rooms, in the grocery store. At stop signs in my car. My tears froze to my face while I was out shoveling these past couple of weekends and I’m really afraid that I’m going to forget the sound of his voice,” Scribner said.  “Parent-to-parent, please help me save some of the other children, because no one sounded the alarm in time to change to keep my son alive. Please. Sound the alarm.” 

SARATOGA SPRINGS – May 7 marks the day when all U.S. citizens will see a change to rules surrounding their ID cards as the country shifts to what is known as the Real ID. 

This new ID is more than a cosmetic change, as every person will need one if they plan to enter a federal government building, board a domestic commercial flight, or enter a nuclear power facility.

A Real ID can be recognized by the small star symbol on the card, which indicates its federal compliance with DHS regulations. 

There is another acceptable form of ID within New York State that meets the same level of criteria as the Real ID. This is known as an Enhanced Driver License (EDL), which can be identified by the flag symbol on the card. However, this enhanced license is different in just a few ways, such as using it to cross the border back into the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean countries, which the Real ID does not permit. An EDL cannot be used for international air travel. 

To obtain a Real ID or EDL, residents are required to visit their local DMV office with a list of documents to verify identity and residency within the state. It is not possible to initially obtain either ID type online. A list of specific documents and other requirements are as follows.

One proof of identity, such as U.S. birth certificate, proof of legal presence, or a passport.

Two proofs of physical address within New York State.

A social security card if issued one, or other acceptable alternatives that show a person’s SSN such as a W-2 form, an SSA-1099 form, a non-SSA-1099 form, or a pay stub with the person’s SSN on it.

A current driver license for those looking to exchange one issued by another state.

First-time applicants will be required to take a new photo for their ID.

Those upgrading to a Real ID will not pay any additional fees other than the standard DMV license renewal fee. Those upgrading to an EDL will pay an extra $30 for making the change.

All information about the two ID types including features and payment information can be found on the New York State DMV website, along with a document guide with a checklist of everything required when securing an upgrade.

Those who have an Enhanced Driver License or a valid passport will not be required to obtain a Real ID for domestic travel. Those under the age of 18 also will not be required to obtain a Real ID, however, any adult traveling with a minor will still have to show a Real ID, EDL, or passport when going through TSA. Those who do not plan to travel or enter federal facilities also will not be required to obtain a Real ID or EDL. A Real ID cannot be used for international travel of any kind, so it is not a replacement for a passport. 

This change to the ID system has been a long time coming, with the new standards initially set by the U.S. Congress in 2005. This piece of legislation looked to increase the standard for identification verification, following the recommendations laid out in the final report by the 9/11 Commission, with enforcement initially set for 2008. However, due to numerous setbacks in integration nationwide, that enforcement has been continuously delayed, with some of the most recent of those delays coming in 2020 and 2022 due to COVID-19 disruptions, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The goal of the Real ID, according to the department’s website, is to ensure a higher standard of identification for those accessing federally run facilities and flights.

For more information about the Real ID and a detailed list of frequently asked questions, visit https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/about-real-id. 

BALLSTON SPA — A ceremony celebrating James Murphy’s decades of service to the community was held at the Saratoga County Court complex in Ballston Spa Feb. 7.   

Murphy retired in December as Saratoga County Court Judge and Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, after 10 years of service.

Draped in black judicial robes, Murphy was gracious with his comments toward all who packed into the courtroom and came to celebrate him, as well as those who played a role alongside his development. Included among the list were teams of court attorneys and secretaries, county workers and court system members past and present, justices, and his wife and two daughters.  

“I take a minute to say all of those things because every single one of those people have meant so much to me,” Murphy said, as 12 justices wearing black robes looked on from their seats in the jury box. Several dozen other people filled the public gallery of the Saratoga County Supreme Court Courthouse.     

During the ceremony, Murphy also singled out for gratitude Saratoga County Bar Association President and Saratoga Springs City Court Judge Francine Vero “for her leadership of the bar association and her generosity in commissioning this portrait and organizing such a meaningful unveiling ceremony,” as well as NYS Court of Claims Judge Kate Hogan “for her years of friendship and support throughout my career.” The Saratoga County Bar Association sponsored the ceremony. 

Prior to his election to the bench, Murphy served 25 years as a prosecutor – elected to the post of Saratoga County District Attorney in 1997 and re-elected to subsequent 4-year terms in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013.

“The first minute I met Kate, I knew that I had found a friend. You know how some people you just click with? She was that person for me, and that was many, many years ago,” Murphy said of Hogan. ‘We shared lots of discussions about lots of cases – sticky situations, how do we do this? What are your suggestions? We lobbied the legislature for meaningful justice reform,” he added. “Judging can be an isolating event. You only really have your core attorney to discuss cases with – and it’s nice to have somebody else to bounce things off. When Kate joined the bench and became a member of the judiciary, it was wonderful for me. When asked who I wanted to unveil the portrait with me, Kate Hogan was the only answer. She’s like family.”  

Together, they lifted the blue draperies covering the free-standing frame and revealed the portrait of Murphy. 

“I Just want to say…I don’t think my head is actually that big!” he quipped, eyeballing the portrait, his commentary met with much laughter. The portrait will be displayed in the Saratoga County Courthouse, joining the esteemed ranks of past jurists who have shaped the Court’s history. 

“This portrait is not just a personal honor but a tribute to the institution we serve. Serving the people of the state of New York and Saratoga County has been the privilege of a lifetime. I have worked alongside some of the most dedicated and talented people – many of whom are here today and all committed to making our community better always remembering service above self,” said Murphy as he begins the next chapter of his life with Behan Communications, Inc., helping to oversee business development efforts and working directly with crisis communication and public affairs clients.

“I’m honored that my portrait will hang in the courtroom where I spent so many years as D.A. and as judge. And I hope, when you see this oversized head looking down at you – you’ll know I’m right there in the trenches with you, cheering you on as you continue to do the great work you do. “