SARATOGA SPRINGS — As workers on cherry pickers adorned Broadway’s lamps with Christmas wreaths, the Salvation Army launched its annual Red Kettle campaign outside the Adirondack Trust main branch.
“The needs of our neighbors are present year-round, but most prevalently during the Christmas season,” said Salvation Army Lieutenant Michael Dow. “This is why the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign is so important to those looking for help in the coming weeks.”
The Salvation Army of Saratoga Springs’ Christmas assistance program will benefit more than sixty local families, Dow said. The charity’s goal this season is to raise $100,000. The first $1,000 was donated by Adirondack Trust.
Contributions can be made online, at red kettles stationed in the city, or by texting “Saratoga” to 31333. This year, donations can also be made by tapping a phone or chip-enabled card on one of the dollar amounts attached to the red kettles.
The Red Kettle campaign launch was attended by Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub, Adirondack Trust Company President and CEO Charles V. Wait Jr., and New York State Senator James Tedisco.
Red kettles will be at the following locations:
Market 32 – Ballston Ave in Saratoga
Market 32 – Route 50 in Wilton
Uncommon Grounds – Broadway in Saratoga
Adirondack Trust – Broadway in Saratoga
Walmart – Wilton
Walmart – Clifton Park
Market 32 – Plank Road in Clifton Park
Market 32 – Malta
To donate or learn more, visit easternusa.salvationarmy.org/empire/saratoga-springs/.
BALLSTON SPA — Not all competitors are enemies. In fact, sometimes they’re friends. At the Ballston Spa High School pool on Monday, one could find both Scotties and Blue Streaks practicing together in preparation for an upcoming state championship.
The harmonious session was the result of girls varsity swim and dive coaches Ted Snyder and Joshua Muldner, from Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs, respectively. The two have been friends for years. And with states on the way, they decided to (temporarily) join forces.
“Ballston Spa and Saratoga had an amazing dual meet this year and these girls battled hard against each other in their meet. These differences miraculously blend away,” Coach Muldner said.
Three local girls are heading to the swim and dive state championships this week: Jillian Ferrie and Addison Kenney from Saratoga, and Sarah Blaum from Ballston Spa. They’re all coming off impressive performances at sectionals.
Blaum, an eighth-grader, took first in both the 100 fly and 100 free. “My relays both did amazing too,” she said. “So, it was really good.”
The Saratoga girls made school history, according to Muldner. “[Ferrie] had her highest placed finish ever at sectionals at two events,” he said. “She is now eighth all-time in school history in the 200 IM.”
Not to be outdone, Kenney broke the school record in the 100 backstroke. “That was a 17-year-old record,” Muldner said.
But the record-setting may not be done.“For my fly, I’m trying to go for the other school record, which is like a half-second drop from where I’m at,” Kenney said.
Kenney will have an opportunity to do so at states in Webster, New York on Friday and Saturday.
Blaum said she was feeling excited but “pretty nervous” about her first state championship. “I just want to see how it feels, have fun,” she said. “It’s kind of a test run, basically.”
Luckily, the elder Kenney and Ferrie seemed to be taking Blaum under their wings. Ferrie admitted that her first experience at states was “kind of intimidating.”
“It’s a little nerve-wracking,” Kenney said. “At the same time, it’s such an intense meet that there’s a really good energy and you feel proud of what you’ve done and accomplished.”
The Saratoga swimmers firmly believe in their coach’s mantra, “trust the process.” Ferrie defined what that meant. “Even if you’re not there now, you will be there,” she said. “You just have to wait and keep trying your best. You’ll get there.”
Fans can follow the action at states in real-time via the Meet Mobile app. Results will also be posted to the website Swim Cloud.
A public hearing regarding Saratoga Springs’ Amended 2024 Budget will be held Nov. 28.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The City Council gathered Monday morning to set a public hearing for the proposed amended 2024 City Budget.
That hearing, which enables the public to express opinions directly to councilmembers regarding the proposed $61.27 million spending plan, will take place 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28.
By rule, the council must vote to approve the budget by Nov. 30, or the $60.5 million spending plan previously submitted by the finance commissioner will become law.
Downtown Saratoga Springs Victorian Streetwalk. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 37th Annual Victorian Streetwalk promises a magical night in downtown Saratoga Springs on Thursday Nov. 30.
The event, presented by the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association, takes place 6 – 9 p.m. Broadway will be closed from Ellsworth Jones Place to the Washington Street intersection.
A traditional tree lighting will be held at 6 p.m. to help kick off the holiday season. Immediately following the tree lighting, children will have the opportunity to visit Santa in his Cottage.
Celebrate the 200th Anniversary of “Twas The Night Before Christmas.” Pamela McColl, author and publisher, will teach about the history of the beloved poem. A dedicated table for Toys for Toga outside G. Willikers store will be collecting new and unwrapped toys for local children. Toys for Toga invites the community to contribute, ensuring every child experiences the magic of the season.
More than 25 sites will feature free entertainment, including the Racing City Chorus, Road Soda Pop, South Glens Falls High School a capella group (Vocal Point), Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Select High School Choir, Saratoga City Ballet, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Choir, Saratoga Soundtrack Chorus, Sax-O-Claus, Jacksland, Lenox, Bill Gervasio, Six Penny Bit, Kids Peace Band, Capitaland Chorus, John & Orion Kribs, The Dance Lab, Saratoga Youth Ballet, Victorian Keepsake Photos by Johnny Miller LLC, Sparkles the Juggler, Sonny & Perley Duo, Dance Fire Studio, Stephen Crouth, Acadia Rae performing with her hula hoop, Abundant Life Church, Pura Vida Kettle Corn, Nacre Dance Group, Catholic Charities Festival of Trees, Santa and Mrs. Claus.
The festivities continue until 9 p.m. throughout downtown Saratoga Springs.
For more information, visit saratogaspringsdowntown.com.
QUEENSBURY —The Schuylerville Black Horses are bound for the Class C championship after a dominant 35-7 win over Johnstown on Friday, Nov. 3 at Queensbury High School.
Martin Flanders Jr. rushed for 183 of the Black Horses’ 380 total offensive yards. Flanders Jr., Sam Dwyer, Luke Sherman, and Landen Cumm all scored rushing touchdowns in the decisive victory.
Flanders Jr. credited his team’s defense with the win. “The team was really able to have an efficient defensive night, making key stops in the red zone and in the fourth-and-short situations,” he said.
“Our linemen did a great job blocking and creating holes for our running backs,” said Cumm. “Martin did a good job finding the hole and gaining yards to keep the sticks moving.”
“We had a sequence of about eight minutes of clock time that we were really on our heels,” said Coach John Bowen. “We were fortunate enough to keep that zero up on the scoreboard a little bit longer than it probably otherwise would have.”
The Black Horses are 9-1 on the season, and will now face Fonda-Fultonville for the Class C championship on Friday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. at Troy High School.
Schuylerville last played Fonda on September 1, when they eked out a 34-32 victory. Fonda has since won ten straight games, setting the stage for an exciting rematch against the Black Horses.
“To be able to beat a great team like Fonda on Friday, it is going to take eleven guys on each side of the ball for us to execute with high proficiency,” Flanders Jr. said. “It will be important for us to compartmentalize every down.”
Coach Bowen noted that the Black Horses would have to play better than they did against Johnstown in order to defeat Fonda. “We’re certainly not going to be able to play that way against Fonda and expect to still be in the game.”
“We are watching film, creating a game plan, and fixing the mistakes that we made last time we played them,” Cumm said. “We are perfecting the little details that most people don’t notice while watching, but have a huge impact on the result of the game.”
“It is going to take a sound game overall to win,” said Sherman, “but we are sure capable of doing so.”
Watercolor rendering of the Tree House Brewing Company proposal in Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The city Land Use Boards will hold a joint meeting Nov. 15 regarding a Special Use Permit and Architectural Review of a proposal to site the micro-production of alcohol and a new eating and drinking establishment on a 10-acre parcel on South Broadway.
The proposal for “Tree House Saratoga Springs” comes via the Tree House Brewing Company – founded in 2011 and currently operating six facilities – five in Massachusetts and a farm in Connecticut. According to the company, it is “the largest direct-to-consumer on-premises brewer in the country,” and says this proposed project will be their only expansion in New York.
The land where Tree House would be located – 3376 Route 9/ South Broadway – is currently vacant and from 1945 to 2013 operated as Murphy’s Driving Range and Mini-Golf. Today it is a mostly flat, open field with its immediate Route 9 facing neighbors being Saratoga Honda to the north, and Homewood Suites to the south.
Current owners MCJack LLC, have contracted to sell the property to Treehouse Brewing Company (THBC NY, LLC,) of Charlton, Massachusetts.
The project space is approximately 10 acres, and would encompass 4 structures, the largest being approximately 200 feet – by – 210-feet and rising to a height of about 30 feet. Plans call for a 22,680-square foot brewery and taproom building.
The outdoor areas would include three pavilions, picnic tables, small gathering areas and walking paths.
The project also calls for a 390-car parking lot, and a “beer to go” area for the pickup of online orders.
The company anticipates its siting would add more than 60 jobs of varying skill sets – production, restaurant and hospitality staff among them – and estimates its economic impact to the region as $30 to $40 million based on siting a Saratoga Springs location, according to documents filed with the city.
A joint Planning Board-Design Review Board discussion is slated to take place at 6 p.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at City Hall. A public hearing is anticipated to take place on or around Nov. 30.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams won section titles in class A and class B on Saturday.
Blue Streaks runners Emily Bush and Alycia Hart both broke the course record, with Hart finishing a mere second later than Bush. Anya Belisle also placed within the top five. The three seniors had an emotional post-victory celebration that capped off a successful season.
Four days later, Bush and Belisle participated in a National Letter of Intent signing ceremony at Saratoga Springs High School, where they reflected on their time with the Blue Streaks.
“I’ve been competitively running since I was seven years old,” Bush said at the event. “I would like to thank my family for being my biggest fans, my teammates for giving me a reason bigger than myself to do what I do, and lastly, my coaches Art and Linda Kranick for helping shape me into the athlete I am today and helping me achieve my wildest dreams.”
Belisle also thanked her coaches.“I didn’t know that all these opportunities would be presented to me. They told me but I didn’t really believe them. So, I’m very thankful.”
Bush is headed to Providence College, while Belisle will attend the University of New Mexico.
Not to be outdone, the boys’ cross-country team had five runners in the top eleven spots on Saturday. Sophomore Thomas Isenovski bested all competitors with a time of 15:40.
“[Thomas] has really begun to come into his own this season,” said boys varsity coach Shane Zanetti. “He’s always been very talented,” Zanetti said, “but he’s definitely come into his own as one of the top runners in the state.”
Zanetti also praised his team as a whole. “There was only 39 seconds between Thomas and our fifth runner,” he said. “So we take a lot of pride in trying to keep that number nice and tight between one and five and really approach it like a team sport.”
The Blue Streaks will now head to the state meet on Saturday, November 11 at VVS High School in Verona, NY.
On Nov. 23, 1861, hundreds of men dressed in the blue uniforms of the Union Army mustered in Saratoga Springs. Hailing from villages and towns across Saratoga County as well as from Fulton and Essex counties, the soldiers of the newly formed 77th New York State Volunteer Infantry Regiment were heading off to war.
Nearly seven months earlier, on April 12, secessionist forces had opened fire on the federal government’s Fort Sumter in South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor. The decades-long debate between the Northern and Southern states over extending slavery into western territories and new states had degenerated into a shooting war.
In Saratoga County, as elsewhere in communities across the North, men were answering President Abraham Lincoln’s call for tens of thousands of volunteers to quell the rebellion in the South. James B. McKean, a local lawyer elected to Congress in 1858, led the effort to raise a regiment from a three-county area in northeastern New York.
“Traitors in arms seek to overthrow our constitution and to seize our capital,” McKean wrote in an appeal to his constituents published in August 1861. “Let us go and help to defend them. … Let farmers, mechanics, merchants, and all classes, for the liberties of all are at stake, aid in organising (sic) companies. I will cheerfully assist in procuring the necessary papers.”
Dozens of infantry regiments already had been organized across New York State and mustered into the Union Army. Numeric regimental designations in each Northern state were assigned in chronological order. The new Saratoga outfit was supposed to become New York’s 45th Volunteer Infantry Regiment but was instead granted permission to be designated the 77th Regiment, a symbolic tribute to the Revolutionary War’s Battles of Saratoga fought on Bemis Heights in September and October 1777.
Just days after mustering in Saratoga Springs on Thanksgiving Day in 1861, the 77th – known as the Bemis Heights Regiment — boarded trains and headed to New York City. There the 700-plus soldiers were honored by former Saratogians who presented a regimental flag featuring a depiction of British General John Burgoyne surrendering after the Saratoga battles.
By New Year’s Day 1862, the regiment was encamped at Meridian Hill in Washington, D.C., joining thousands of other Union volunteers encamped in and around the city ahead of the upcoming spring campaign against the Confederate army in neighboring Virginia. That spring, the regiment saw its first action at the siege of Yorktown, the first of many it would fight on the Old Dominion’s soil.
The 77th Regiment fought in the Battle of Antietam at Sharpsburg, Maryland, on Sept. 17, 1862, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and Union troops clashed in what would turn out to be the single bloodiest day in American history. Total casualties for both sides topped 22,000 killed, wounded and missing. The 77th suffered 11 killed and 21 wounded.
In early May 1863, the 77th Regiment was among the leading Union units that assaulted the rebel positions on the high ground overlooking Fredericksburg, Virginia. Mowed down by defenders firing from behind a stone wall atop Marye’s Heights, the Northerners suffered nearly 1,100 casualties. Among them was Capt. Luther M. Wheeler, one of the regiment’s most admired officers. Advancing out ahead of his troops, Wheeler was shot in the torso. Carried to a temporary hospital by two of his soldiers, Wheeler died of his wounds early the next morning.
Two months later, the 77th was among the Union forces confronting Lee’s army at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The regiment was held in reserve, sparring it from the three-day bloodletting that resulted in more than 50,000 casualties between Confederate and Union forces, including more than 7,000 killed.
As fierce as the fighting was in 1862 and ’63, it would get even worse in 1864. Lincoln had appointed General Ulysses S. Grant as overall commander of the Union Army that March, and the Yankee hero of the war’s Western Theater brought a relentless approach with him when he came east. Unlike his predecessors, Grant wouldn’t retreat after every battle, whether it was won or lost. Instead, starting in May, the West Point graduate kept his army on the offensive following every engagement, resulting in a series of battles across eastern Virginia that left tens of thousands of dead, wounded and missing soldiers in their wake.
The 77th participated in most of those clashes, from The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House in May to Cold Harbor the next month. Spotsylvania, fought over multiple days, would turn out to be the 77th Regiment’s bloodiest battle, with 30 soldiers killed, 56 wounded and another 21 listed as missing in action. The regiment would lose dozens of other soldiers before the war’s deadliest year was over.
As the war entered its fourth year, there was hope on the Union side that the Confederate army was on its last legs. Grant had besieged Petersburg, Virginia, the key supply center for the Confederate capital in nearby Richmond, while General William Tecumseh Sherman’s army had marched its way through Georgia to the sea, gutting the Confederate war machine’s infrastructure and materiel support systems for the remainder of the war.
In early April 1865, the 77th was there when the siege of Petersburg ended, then participated in one of the final battles of the war, fought at Sailor’s Creek in Virginia on April 6. Three days later, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House. The 77th Regiment was among the Union outfits bivouacked nearby when word arrived that the Army of Northern Virigina would lay down its arms.
On June 27, 1865, the Bemis Heights Regiment – now reduced to a battalion of fewer than 300 – was mustered out of service in Washington, D.C. During the war, the regiment suffered more than 600 casualties, including 286 soldiers who died in combat or from disease or illness.
Saratoga County polling sites on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7. Source: Saratoga County Board of Elections.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —All five City Council seats – one mayor and four commissioners – as well as both city Supervision positions are up for vote to new, two-year terms that will take effect in January.
City Council
Three of the five council positions are uncontested, and each of the currently sitting commissioners – Jason Golub (Public Safety), Dillon Moran (Accounts), and Minita Sanghvi (Finance) – are expected to return. All three are Democrats.
The contested seats are for city Mayor, and for Commissioner of Public Safety.
Incumbent Mayor Ron Kim and incumbent Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino are both seeking re-election. Each is facing a contested three-person race. Both incumbents are Democrats, but unlike the political polarization that prevails in many elections across the U.S., party lines and political divisions in the Spa City are somewhat blurred.
Mayor
Ron Kim – running on the Democratic line, is facing a challenge for the mayoral seat from Republican candidate John Safford, and One Saratoga independent party candidate Chris Mathiesen. Mathiesen previously sat the council table as city Public Safety Commissioner, from 2012 to 2017.
Public Safety Commissioner
Jim Montagnino – running on the Democratic line, faces a challenge for Public Safety Commissioner from Timothy Coll – who is running on the Republican, and One Saratoga line, and Kristen Dart – who is running on the independent Community First line.
A Parting of Party Lines
In the city of Saratoga Springs, there are just over 20,000 voters actively registered.
Registered Democrats account for approximately 40% of voters, registered Republicans about 28%, and Blanks – that is, those registered to vote but purposely unaffiliated with any party, count for about 26.5%. The remaining 5.5% balance of voters are comprised of those registered with either the Conservative Party, Working Families Party, or a variety of independent lines. Overall, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in 21 of 25 city voting districts, according to the state Board of Elections’ latest available enrollment figures.
Despite that sitting Public Safety Commissioner Montagnino is a Democrat, city Mayor Ron Kim and three other incumbent Democrat council members have expressed their backing of independent Kristen Dart for the seat.
Tim Coll, who is a registered Democrat, has been endorsed by the city Republican committee and is running on the Republican line as a candidate of choice for Public Safety Commissioner.
And this week, on a rain-soaked Monday afternoon in front of City Hall, Democrat ballot candidate Montagnino held a press conference to announce he would be crossing party lines to endorse Republican Party candidate John Safford for Mayor in the election. When asked about his support for Safford, Montagnino denied that his endorsement was of any retaliatory nature against Mayor Kim’s endorsing of Kirsten Dart, instead citing “discord and chaos” at recent City Council meetings as a motivator.
“This IS an unusual endorsement,” Safford said, acknowledging the crossing of party lines during Monday’s 20-minute presser, “but I’m grateful for it.”
This Year’s Contested City Seats – The Last Time Around
In 2021, nearly 9,000 city votes were counted in the mayoral race. Democrat Ron Kim was elected after securing 4,319 votes to the 3,943 cast for Republican candidate Heidi West and 632 voted for other party challengers.
Democrat Jim Montagnino was elected Public Safety Commissioner after besting Republican candidate Tracey LaBelle 4,783 to 3,859, with an additional 95 votes cast for a third-party challenger.
In the race for the two Supervisor seats, Democrat Tara Gaston (4,460) and Republican Matthew Veitch (4,334 votes) were elected. Democrat Shaun Wiggins received 3,828 votes, and Republican John Safford – this year’s mayoral challenger – received 3,775 votes.
This year in Saratoga Springs, voters have a choice of three candidates from which to select two supervisors to represent the city at the county level.
They are: Gordon Boyd (D, WF); Michele Madigan (D, One Saratoga), and incumbent Supervisor Matthew Veitch (R, One Saratoga). Madigan previously served five two-year terms as city Finance Commissioner, from 2012-2021; Veitch, who is seeking re-election, has served as supervisor since 2008.
For more information about county supervisor races, please see last week’s edition of Saratoga TODAY, which may be viewed at: https://saratogatodaynewspaper.com/home/item/20476-election-primer-saratoga-county-five-contested-supervisor-races-early-voting-begins-oct-28.
Party Registration Breakdown
Countywide, active registered voter numbers have grown from 169,756 in November 2021 to 174,991 actively registered in 2023 – an increase of 5,235.
Specific to active voter party affiliation across Saratoga County: Conservative Party registration is up 281 compared to year 2021, Republican Party registration is up 934, and Democratic Party registration is up 1,456. The largest increase – up 3,203 – are those registered to vote but unaffiliated with any party, or “blank.” Working Families Party and other/ independent parties each have less active registered voters this time around.
Statewide Ballot Proposals
Proposal One: Removal Of Small City School Districts From Special Constitutional Debt Limitation. The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 4 of the Constitution seeks to remove the special constitutional debt limitation now placed on small city school districts, so they will be treated the same as all other school districts.
Proposal Two: Extending Sewage Project Debt Exclusion From Debt Limit. The proposed amendment to Article 8, section 5 of the Constitution seeks to extends for 10 years the authority of counties, cities, towns, and villages to remove from their constitutional debt limits debt for the construction of sewage facilities.
For full text of the two ballot proposals, go to the state BOE website at: https://www.elections.ny.gov/2023BallotProposals.html.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs varsity boys cross country team captured the 2023 Suburban Council team championship after a balanced effort at the Saratoga Spa State Park on Saturday.
Thomas Isenovski won the Suburban Council boys individual title for the Blue Streaks, leading a group of six Saratoga runners placing in the top 30 finishers. With 73 points, the Blue Streaks’ boys team held off second-place Guilderland (77 points) for the team title.
Saratoga’s Emily Bush took home the Suburban Council girls individual title, with Anya Belisle earning a second-place finish. Despite the duo earning the top two spots in the girls race, the Saratoga girls team (50 points) finished second to Bethlehem (37 points).
For the second straight season, the Blue Streaks’ boys program swept the Suburban Council meet, with their modified, freshman, and JV teams also earning team victories in their respective races on Saturday.
“That was a goal that the team had from, really, the beginning of our summer training,” said Saratoga boys head coach Shane Zanetti of the program sweep. “It was really exciting to have that come to fruition.”
The Saratoga girls team was paced by Bush (17:09.8) and Belisle (17:47.8), the race’s top two finishers. The Blue Streaks also received top-20 finishes from Reagan Owen (14th, 18:41.7), Tong Ang (16th, 18:51.1), Katie Turner (17th, 19:00.9), and Heidi Berglund (19th, 19:05.3).
Linda Kranick, one of the Saratoga girls coaches, said she was “very proud” of Bush and Belisle earning the top two spots. She noted that both runners are seniors, and that the Suburban Council championships would be the last time they ran a cross country race at the Saratoga Spa State Park.
The Blue Streaks’ varsity boys were led by Isenovski (15:22.3), with Darren Pasek placing seventh (16:05.5), and Luke Dacey placing 16th (16:19.1). The Saratoga boys team also received strong finishes from Jacob Bernd (20th, 16:29.4), Hudson Shaw (29th, 16:44.4), Cooper Brandriss (30th, 16:45.9), and Owen Blaisdell (50th, 17:07.0).
Zanetti gave credit to Isenovski, who he noted led the pack for a majority of the race, saying he ran “a really smart race.”
“He’s only a sophomore, but he’s got a lot of experience running at a high level already,” said Zanetti of Isenovski. “He’s a really intelligent racer, and he loves to compete.”
Zanetti also credited Pasek and Shaw for stepping up during the race.
With the Suburban Council Championships behind them, the Blue Streaks’ cross country teams attention now turns to the Section 2 Championships at Queensbury High School this weekend.
“We were pleased with the way the girls ran, but we’ve got more work ahead of us,” said Kranick.
Kranick said the girls team has continued to improve and gain experience during the fall, and made note of several younger runners who have stepped up, including Owen, Ang, Berglund, and Turner among others.
“All you can ever ask an athlete to do is give it their all and do the best you can,” Kranick said of the team’s mindset entering sectionals. “That’s always been the emphasis.”
On the boys side, Zanetti said the Blue Streaks are entering this weekend with the goal of bringing home another team victory.
“Our goal is definitely to win sectionals and move onto states, and hopefully be successful there,” Zanetti said of the boys team’s mindset.
