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Saratoga School Bus Cancellations Cause Parent Frustration

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Education, Featured.

Yellow school bus on the blacktop on a beautiful sunny day.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Recent bus cancellations by the Saratoga Springs City School District caused some parents to vent their frustrations in a local Facebook group.

On November 6, one parent posted to the group “What’s Going on Saratoga” that she was notified that her son’s bus was canceled less than 90 minutes before dismissal. “I have no idea the procedure, can’t seem to find it in the handbook, and no one is answering the phone there,” the parent wrote.

Screenshots of Saratoga Springs school district notifications stated that “due to the school bus driver shortage and employee illness,” buses 461 and 466 were both canceled, along with all after-school late buses. 

Earlier this year, the district cut two full-time transportation department positions as part of its 2024-2025 budget. Although neither of the positions were technically drivers, they were a dispatcher and mechanic, both of whom sometimes served as substitute bus drivers when necessary.

At an April 25 budget adoption meeting, bus dispatcher Dean Musgrove expressed his opposition to the cuts. “It’s really going to do a lot of damage to our department and I don’t think you realize the extent of it,” Musgrove said. “I have a hard time understanding why $180,000 can’t be located to cover these two positions that you’re talking about cutting…Even though they’re not technically driver positions, they are actually drivers.”

In April, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton said there had been “significant sacrifices” in order to achieve a balanced budget. “We truly appreciate the feedback that we do receive from transportation,” he said. “Mr. Musgrove and I had several conversations.” Dr. Patton also noted that other similarly-sized school districts had fewer dispatchers and routing specialists than Saratoga Springs.

Bus driver shortages have been an ongoing issue both locally and across the country. Data from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) indicates that from September 2019 to September 2023, there was a 15.1% decrease in the total number of K-12 bus drivers nationwide. Private school bus driver employment also declined by 21.5% over the same four-year period.

Several factors have contributed to the shortage, including low wages. According to the EPI, school bus driver wages are significantly lower than most other workers. Drivers earned an average of $20 per hour in 2022, which is nearly 17% less than the median wage for all workers. Drivers only work an average of around 32 hours per week, which means their weekly wages are also below average. Many drivers also don’t work during summers, which decreases their yearly income.

The Saratoga Springs school district currently has a bus driver job opening that pays $22.15 per hour, which is below the median wage for all workers in the economy ($24.04), according to data from 2022.

Saratoga-Based Video Game Company Dreams Big

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — If you’re seeking stardom, head to Hollywood. If you’re a finance bro, take the next train to Lower Manhattan. If you grew up addicted to Nintendo or “Halo,” the best destination might be Upstate New York.

Few businesses are reeling in as many talented young gamers as Rushdown Studios, a video game company based in Saratoga Springs that’s stocked full of developers. Launched in 2021 by three people, Rushdown has grown at a rapid pace. This year, they have 30 employees. In the not-too-distant future, they project they’ll have 100. They were profitable in year one and doubled their revenue in year two. Thus far, the company has contributed to a number of notable games, including “PUBG,” “Among Us,” “League of Legends,” and “Last Epoch.” 

What is Rushdown’s secret sauce that allows them to thrive in a small city known more for horses than high scores? Co-founder and CEO Kirk Becker said much of his company’s success revolves around its growing reputation.

“The video game industry, as much as the market cap is massive, it really feels like a small industry,” Becker said. “You see the same companies, the same people, at video game conferences. At [the Game Developers Conference] in San Francisco every year, there are so many familiar faces. If someone gets a bad reputation early on, it’s really hard to dig yourself out of that hole.”

Rushdown’s early successes have allowed them to court prospective hires with companies like Riot Games (“League of Legends”) and Blizzard Entertainment (“World of Warcraft,” “Diablo”)  on their resumes.

“Talent from these studios want to come work at Rushdown,” Becker said. “That’s awesome.”

Some developers may want a change of scenery, fleeing giant companies in crowded California cities for the serenity of Upstate New York and Vermont. Others, however, may stay put. Roughly half of Rushdown’s workers are local, while the rest are remote.

“A lot of times if you’re hiring someone with [C++ and game engines] expertise, you’re taking them from another Upstate New York video game studio if they’re in the area. So we hire remotely,” Becker said. “But [back-end engineering] talent is much more accessible in Upstate New York, so we might lean towards hiring those folks to be in office.”

Although many people in the industry live and work in California, Upstate does have some enticing advantages over the West Coast.

“There are people who are like, ‘I’d love to work in the Adirondacks and still have the same job working on games,’” said Andy Polidore, Rushdown’s co-founder and COO.

Polidore also said that an East Coast time zone allows Rushdown to work well with both West Coast-based companies and partners in the U.K. and Europe. In other words, New York is conveniently placed right in the middle of major video game companies across the globe.

As Rushdown’s staff and client list both continue to grow, the company hopes to become large enough that it can build its own games from start to finish. Having a larger company would “unlock different types of work that we can say yes to,” Becker said. “Why that’s important to us is because we all love games and we would love to work on a game end-to-end and own the entire thing, and have someone pay us to do that.”

Rushdown is actively hiring for a variety of positions and currently has five openings posted to its website. To learn more about the company or view its job listings, visit www.rushdownstudio.com.

President-Elect Trump Picks Stefanik as UN Ambassador – Resignation of House Seat Signals Special District Election 

Written by Thomas Dimopoulos on . Posted in Featured, News.

SARATOGA COUNTY —Six days after Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was elected to her sixth term to represent New York’s 21st District, President-elect Donald Trump picked the town of Saratoga resident to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations. 

Stefanik (R,C) was first elected to the House in 2014 and defeated challenger Paula Collins (D, WF) 60.3% to 36.5% districtwide on Election Day 2024. By accepting the Trump nomination, Stefanik gives up her seat in the district and opens up the position to be settled in a district-wide special election in 2025.  

The 21st Congressional District currently encompasses more than one dozen counties, mostly in the Northern section of upstate New York. Included is a portion of Saratoga County that is home to about 41,000 actively registered district voters, and which represents residents in the towns of Corinth, Day, Edinburg, Greenfield, Hadley, Moreau, Northumberland, Providence and Saratoga in their entirety, as well as those in the northernmost section of Wilton.  

The post as ambassador to the United Nations requires U.S. Senate confirmation. 

“I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate,” Stefanik said in a statement released Nov. 11. “I stand ready to advance President Donald J. Trump’s restoration of America First peace through strength leadership on the world stage on Day One at the United Nations.” 

“It will certainly be a high visibility position,” said Bob Turner, associate professor of Political Science at Skidmore College. “Donald Trump has signaled his distrust of the U.N. and of multilateral policy-making in general and whoever is in that position is going to be in charge of trying to impose (the president-elect’s) policies on the UN. When it comes to things like NATO or Ukraine or Israel-Palestine, there is going to be a lot of heat that will be generated at the UN.”  

Edward Reilly Stettinius, Jr. – who served as Secretary of State under Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman – became the first U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in the mid-1940’s. There have been 30 Representative of the U.S.A. to the United Nations in all, including John Bolton (2005-2006), Nikki Haley (2017-2018), and most recently Linda Thomas-Greenfield – who was nominated by Pres. Joe Biden in January 2021 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate one month later. 

On a national scale politically, the anticipated pending departures of House Republicans Elise Stefanik, Mike Waltz and Matt Gaetz – each selected by President-elect Trump as appointments for his administration – leaves the GOP with three less active members at the start of the new Congress in 2025 and vacant until filled via special elections. 

“It is a little surprising, because while it seems Republicans will gain control of the House, their margin is going to be in the single digits. To lose a reliable supporter of the president I think took people by surprise,” Turner said. 

Stefanik also serves as House Republican Conference chair. “I think had she decided to stay there certainly would have been an opportunity for her to become the first female Republican speaker of the House,” Turner said. 

A Special Election for Congressional District 21

It is anticipated a Special Election to fill the Congressional seat in District 21 will take place sometime in the spring of 2025. 

When U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik officially resigns from the House, a 10-day window will open for Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare a special election to fill the seat vacancy in the 21st Congressional District, with that election to be held about 70 days later. For example, were Stefanik to officially resign when Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025, the special election would then be held in early-to-mid April.  

Members of the House of Representatives under normal circumstances serve full two-year terms; The seat in District 21 would be vacant until the Special Election, and then once filled, up for reelection in November 2026. 

The candidates for the special election will be selected by party leaders. No party primaries will be held. The 21st Congressional district includes more than a dozen counties – Warren, Washington and parts of Saratoga among them – and multiple county committees are charged with coming up with a consensus to put forward their party’s respective candidate.    

“My family and I are excited for this next chapter in New York and Washington to work hard to serve our country on President Donald Trump’s team,” Stefanik said in a statement. “No matter where this journey takes us, Upstate New York – the cradle of the American Revolution – will always be my heart and home.”

Saratoga County Unveils $432 Million Tentative Budget For 2025

Written by Thomas Dimopoulos on . Posted in Featured, News.

BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County officials have proposed a $432 million budget for 2025, up from $410.1 million budget adopted for this year, and the $378.3 million budget adopted for 2023.  

The County’s 2025 tentative budget reduces the property tax rate for the fourth consecutive year, and “maintaining its position as having the lowest property tax rate of all 55 upstate counties,” according to the county statement, released on Nov. 6.  

Budget Workshops are slated to take place this month with a proposed Public Hearing tentatively slated to take place Dec. 3 and proposed budget adoption on Dec. 11.  

The tentative $432 million budget:

-Keeps the levy within the state’s property tax cap and reduces the property tax rate by 5%. Tax rate: $1.87 per $1,000 of assessed value. This equates to a 15% reduction in the property tax rate over the past four years. 

– Sales tax revenue projection for 2025: $170 million. The conservative projection comes as the County saw a slower growth rate during the second half of 2024, a trend which officials expect to continue in 2025. 

“In the face of higher inflation, unfunded mandates, and a sluggish economy, the 2025 tentative budget is a testament that Saratoga County’s conservative fiscal practices and responsible spending choices that help to maintain the County’s low property tax rate while also delivering robust programs and services our residents rely on,” Saratoga Springs Supervisor and Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Matthew Veitch said in a statement. 

In 2025, unfunded state and federal mandates will cost Saratoga County more than $80 million.  According to the county release: This is more than the county’s share of the property tax levy, requiring 100% of the County property tax to be allocated to unfunded mandates, which includes Medicaid, temporary assistance, early intervention, among many others. The burden of unfunded mandates was further strained in 2024 when the State shifted federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage payments from localities to its own coffers. 

-Saratoga County continues to invest in its public safety workforce, welcoming more than 30 new deputies over the past 12 months and ensuring ongoing funding for key training initiatives for seasoned staff as well as new hires. These efforts supported in the 2025 budget will ensure first responders have the necessary skills and equipment to respond to man-made or natural disasters, such as the July 2024 tornado in the towns of Edinburg and Day, as well as day-to-day public safety matters.  

-The 2025 tentative budget prioritizes: resources for health and human services initiatives and programs, funding and staffing for social services programs residents of all ages depend on, including early intervention, child welfare, foster care, Medicaid, and temporary assistance. In 2025, the County will also continue to pursue a permanent Code Blue Shelter location to help address homelessness. 

-The proposed budget also continues the County’s commitment to veterans. With the largest veteran population in the Capital District, Saratoga County’s proposed 2025 budget provides support for the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support program, which helps veterans re-assimilate to civilian life. 

-Saratoga County continues to support youth and families through funding for programs that encourage youth to abstain from drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and vaping. This includes welcoming back its special speaker’s series for school districts, which addresses addiction and empowers students to choose abstinence.  The tentative budget also provides for increased funding for the Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA) program to prevent the sale of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, and accessories to anyone under the age of 21. 

-Environmental health expansion: the 2025 tentative budget provides for a funding increase of more than $1 million for the Department of Health for technology upgrades including a new online payment and permitting system and clean water supply testing equipment. 

-Elections security and integrity initiatives: to ensure safe and secure elections across Saratoga County, investments include equipment upgrades, including new voting machines, and staff training. 

-Commitment to preserving open space: maintaining its partnership with Saratoga PLAN as land manager for the Graphite Range Community Forest and with its expansion of the popular Zim Smith Trail, which sees more than 300,000 travelers annually. 

-Economic development: partnerships with organizations such as SEDC and Discover Saratoga as well as support of the 250th Anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga commemoration and the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. 

For more information, to view the budget brief, and to read the full 2025 tentative budget, visit https://www.saratogacountyny.gov/county-budgets/.

Decades in the Making: Blue Streaks Crowned Sectional Champions 

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.


The Saratoga Springs girls varsity soccer team celebrates its Section 2 Class AAA title victory at Niskayuna High School on Monday night. Photo via Saratoga Athletics.

NISKAYUNA — The Saratoga Springs girls varsity soccer team captured the Section 2 Class AAA championship on Monday night, defeating Shaker 1 to 0. It was the girls soccer program’s first sectional title in more than three decades. Senior Keegan Reinhart scored the lone, winning goal for the Blue Streaks.

The team advanced to the finals after beating Shenendehowa 1 to 0 last week in another shutout. Both the semifinals and finals games were played at Niskayuna High School.

Victory in the big game was far from a sure thing for the 12-4-2 Blue Streaks. The last time they played Shaker, on September 28, they lost 2 to 1.

The team was led throughout the season by stellar performances from Ava Goodman, who scored the winning goal against Shen in overtime last week, and goalie Olivia Goodman, who secured two back-to-back shutouts in the postseason.

The Blue Streaks got off to a hot start this season, winning 7 of their first 8 games before falling to Shaker in September. They quickly recovered from that loss, however, and tied Ballston Spa before winning 4 straight games. The momentum then slowed a bit as they were thwarted by Niskayuna and Broadalbin-Perth in close contests. But everything seemed to come together at the perfect time when they sealed the deal in the postseason.

The Saratoga soccer squad will next take on Section 3 champions Cicero-North Syracuse on Saturday, November 9 at 2 p.m. at Nottingham High School in Syracuse.

Election ’24: Familiar Faces Return to Represent Saratoga County

Written by Thomas Dimopoulos on . Posted in Featured, News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Several political leaders familiar to area residents respectively secured newly elected terms this week. 

In races specific to Saratoga, incumbent U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D, WF) defeated challenger Kevin Waltz (R,C) in the 20th Congressional District – which represents the majority of Saratoga County, and more than 140,000 county voters. Tonko was elected to the U.S. House in 2008 to represent District 21, which he served to 2013, and since 2013 has representing New York’s 20th Congressional District. Tonko secured the majority of votes both – in the overall multi-county district (58.6% – 37.7%), and among Saratoga County voters (53.5% – 43.1%). 

Newly redistricted this year, the 21st Congressional District represents northern Saratoga County and the northeastern edge of the county (more than 40,000 voters), which includes including the towns of Saratoga, Greenfield and Moreau, among others in their entirety, as well as a portion of Wilton.     

In the 21st District Elise Stefanik (R,C) secured her sixth term in a victory over challenger Paula Collins (D,WF), emerging victorious in both the overall district (60.3% – 36.5%), and among Saratoga County voters (57.3% – 39.8%).     

Incumbent State Sen. James Tedisco (R,C) was re-elected to the 44th District over challenger Minita Sanghvi (D,WF) 56.1% to 40.2% . Sanghvi is currently city Finance Commissioner and member of the City Council in Saratoga Springs. 

Incumbent Democratic Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner was re-elected to the 113th District, by defeating Jeremy Messina (R,C), and Republican Mary Beth Walsh, of the 112th Assembly District, bested Democrat Joe Seeman.  

Interim County Treasurer JoAnn Kupferman (R) was elected to a full term, defeating longtime city Finance Commissioner and current Saratoga Springs Supervisor Michele Madigan (D) 56 – 43 in the Saratoga County Treasurer race.  

More than 125,000 – nearly 70% of Saratoga County’s registered voters – cast a ballot in the 2024 election.  

Donald Trump secured a second term as U.S. President.  Overall in New York State, Kamala Harris/ Tim Walz (D, WF) received more than one million votes more than Donald Trump/ JD Vance (R,C) in the Presidential race  (54.65% to 43.25%).

The Harris/Walz ticket garnered a slight majority of the votes – 49.71% to 48.49% – among Saratoga County voters, a difference of just over 1,500 votes.  

In the race for U.S. Senator, incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand (D, WF) defeated challengers Michael Sapraicone (R,C) and independent candidate Diane Sare. 

Saratoga County sited six polling locations for nine days of Early Voting. Early voting accounted for one-third of all ballots cast in Saratoga County for the 2024 election.  

Note, all tallies are unofficial results and likely to change. The deadlines for the Board of Elections to receive absentee/ early mail ballots by mail is Nov. 12 and military/ special federal by mail is Nov. 18. Official Election results are anticipated Nov. 30, and Election certification on Dec. 9, according to the Saratoga County Board of Elections.                           

Saratoga County by The Numbers

Total Registered voters: 181,203. 

Total Votes 2024: 125,688.

Saratoga County ranks 16th highest of NY State’s 62 counties in number of active registered voters.   

By Party: Republican (35.3%), Democratic (29.4%),
No Party (29.0%), Independent & all others (6.3%). 

Presidential Race: Harris/Walz – 63,852 votes (49.71%),
to Trump/Vance 62,278 votes (48.49%). 

Previously – 2016: Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton (54,575-50,913). 2020: Joe Biden over Donald Trump (68,471-61,305).   

Ballots Cast – Early Voting: just over 41,700.
Election Day: just over 83,900. 

All aboard – Holiday Train to Bring Festive Cheer to Saratoga Springs

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Featured, News.


The Canadian Pacific Kansas City Holiday Train rumbles through Saratoga Springs on Nov. 25.
 Photo provided. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The iconic Canadian Pacific Kansas City Holiday Train is back on the rails, bringing holiday joy and supporting local food banks across North America. 

For the third year in a row, Franklin Community Center has been selected as the local beneficiary for the Saratoga Springs stop, with the event set to take place at 7:20 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 25 at Saratoga Springs Train Station, 26 Station Lane. 

The event free to attend and will feature live performances by James Barker Band and Clerel, offering festive holiday entertainment. Attendees will also enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and candy canes as they gather at the station to welcome the brightly decorated train.

While the event is free, guests are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation. All contributions will directly benefit Franklin Community Center’s food programs, providing essential support to families in need during the holiday season.

The Holiday Train has traveled across North America and raised more than $21 million and collected 5 million pounds of food for local food banks. 

Franklin Community Center’s Food Pantry serves over 1,000 individuals per month. To learn more about how FCC helps provide valuable meal supplementation to those in need, visit their website at www.franklincommunitycenter.org.

Note, an earlier posting listed an incorrect date of the train’s arrival. The correct date is Monday, Nov. 25.

Saratoga Entrepreneurs Strut Their Stuff at Startup Event

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.


 Julien Bouget tells Startup Saratoga attendees about his company re:Charge-e at the Universal Preservation Hall. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — At Startup Saratoga, an event reminiscent of the hit ABC reality series “Shark Tank,” local entrepreneurs took to the Universal Preservation Hall stage last Wednesday night to pitch their business ideas. After introductory songs like “Electric Avenue” by Eddy Grant and “Intergalactic” by the Beastie Boys rocked the hall, slide show presentations documented the dollars, cents, and details of each presenter’s venture.

Kirk Becker, co-founder and CEO of Rushdown Studios, discussed his video game company’s many projects and rapid growth. 

“We started with three people in 2021 and now we’re 30 people three years later,” Becker said to a round of applause. “We were profitable year one; we doubled our revenue in year two.”

Rushdown’s office, located above the AMC movie theater in downtown Saratoga, houses about half of the company’s employees (the rest are remote workers). The company has contributed to a number of notable games, including PUBG, Among Us, League of Legends, and Last Epoch. Becker said Rushdown is expected to grow to about 100 people, with jobs frequently being posted to the company’s LinkedIn page. He sought advice from event attendees on company growth and talent recruitment.

Foothills Farm co-founder Max Poritzky explained how his company’s solar-powered vertical hydroponic container farm operated. Foothills grows specialty lettuces, leafy greens, and culinary herbs year-round with no pesticides, delivering more than a ton of fresh produce to local restaurants such as Hamlet & Ghost, Kindred, and The Brook Tavern.

Poritzky said he was seeking partnerships with local businesses, governments, and educational institutions.

“I think the technology in farming is sort of a wakeup call,” Poritzky said. “You think about the old farming model, it’s not sexy, right? But I think that we’re in a new time. When you bring students, young students, into this thing, their eyes just blow up. It’s really incredible.”

Julien Bouget, a French-American physicist, discussed his company re:Charge-e, which aims to provide universal charging solutions for electric micromobility. re:Charge-e says it can power more than 100 bikes or scooters with the same amount of energy required to power one electric car.

Earlier this year, re:Charge-e and the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) deployed a new universal wireless charging station in Amsterdam, New York, in support of CDTA’s bikeshare program. It was the first such installation in the country to use wireless power transfer to charge a variety of shared electric micromobility bicycles.

Bouget said his company is now seeking a $2 million seed investment to help expand this system to the entire Capital Region within the next few years.

The Startup Saratoga event, a collaboration between the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and Startup Tech Valley, also featured speakers from irl Media and P1ston.