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Lefty Milligan: One of Saratoga’s Finest Athletes

Written by Sean Kelleher on . Posted in Featured, History.

John “Lefty” Milligan.
Photo provided by The Saratoga County History Roundtable.

When people think of Schuylerville, they think of history. The region is known for the 1777 Battles of Saratoga. Baseball is not what people think of Schuylerville. However, for years, the community was known for the pitcher John Milligan one of the finest athletes in the county’s history. He hurled for the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League and the Washington Senators of the American League. 

John Milligan was a noted Schuylerville High School athlete in basketball and baseball. In 1921 the Saratogian wrote, “Milligan has been pitching stellar ball all season.” Milligan then embarked to pitch at Cornell University. “Among the more promising new pitching prospects is John A. Milligan, left-hander, who performed brilliantly for the freshman team last year,” reported by Cornell Alumni News on March 20, 1924. 

Milligan batted left-handed and threw right-handed. The Boston Daily Globe reported on May 4, 1924, “John Milligan, a stocky southpaw, had the [Harvard] Crimson battery eating out of his hands throughout.” Milligan played two seasons for Cornell. He was instrumental in starting at triple play against Columbia and pitching a no-hit game against Virginia which he lost 1 to 0 because he gave too many bases on balls. 

Milligan continued to play ball in Schuylerville. The Saratogian reported on July 15, 1924 that the “Veterans Royal Giants of Albany… composed of (many) colored [sic] players have arranged to represent Schuylerville for the remainder of the baseball season. The team comes here highly recommended, and the games should prove a great attraction for the village… John Mulligan, a baseball pitcher for Cornell College will pitch with the outfit… The opening game will be played Sunday with the Mechanicville K. of C. team at the Fort Hardy Park diamond.”

Milligan’s first major league game was on August 11, 1928 for the Philadelphia Phillies (1928–1931). The New York Times reported the next day that Philadelphia lost to the New York Giants 4–0. “The Phils played a mean trick on a young fellow named Jack Milligan yesterday at the Polo Grounds. The youth hadn’t caught his breath from the excitement of being in the major leagues when he was flung to the fury of the Giants, a team that was practically invincible the way it played yesterday. Young Mr. Milligan was hired yesterday morning and fired at the Giants in the afternoon. He never had a chance.” 

“Johnnie Milligan, Schuylerville lad, yesterday (September 24, 1930) turned in his first major league victory, when, pitching for the Philadelphia club of the National League, he turned back Brooklyn, 6 to 3… His chief weakness has been his inability to control the ball, his wildness having cost him a regular pitching assignment with the Phillies. The New York baseball authors with the Brooklyn team gave Milligan a lot of credit for winning the match. The New York Times said: “The Dodgers… could not solve the efficient pitching of Jack Milligan, a southpaw. Milligan, whose hurling this year won a pennant for the Wilkes-Barre club, for which he turned in twenty victories.” The New York Tribune said: “Milligan pitched as though he might be the answer to many Philadelphia prayers for a pitcher. Aside from the first inning, he never gave the Robins much chance to do any hitting, and in the few times they did get men on the bases, he stopped them cold,” according to the Saratogian on September 25, 1930. 

Milligan’s final game was on June 23, 1934 with the Washington Senators. In a five-season career, Milligan posted a 3–8 record with 38 strikeouts and a 5.17 ERA in 35 appearances, including 12 starts, four complete games, and 116⅔ innings of work. Milligan played professionally with Newark, Baltimore, Buffalo, Albany, and Toronto in the International League; Syracuse, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Albany of the New York¬–Penn League; Nashville of the Southern Association; Dayton of the Central League. 

Even as a professional ballplayer, Milligan found time to play local baseball. The Saratogian reported on October 9, 1933 that “’Lefty’ John Milligan, Schuylerville’s favorite son and ace port-sider for the Scranton team of the New York–Penn League, exercised his trusty wrong-side flipper with such effect yesterday that at the end of nine chuckers, the men of Easton had failed to acquire a semblance of a hit . . . Big John Milligan was in superb form and only on one occasion was he extended. His burning fastball, crackling curve, and deceptive change of pace completely overwhelmed the visitors, fourteen of whom were strikeout victims and none of whom collected anything close to a safe hit.”

After retiring from the diamond, Milligan took over the Broadway Theater in Schuylerville. In addition, Mulligan was a commercial pilot. In 1941, “Milligan demonstrated his skill in the cockpit by a successful takeoff from the state road (Route 9) at Round Lake. While State Police held back traffic for the stunt that was given approval by the Civil Aeronautics Authority,” according to the New York Times on November 7, 1942. In that year Mulligan was called on to serve the nation’s war effort by instructing military aircraft pilots at Carlstrom Field, Florida, operated by the Riddle Aeronautical Institute. After the war, he settled in Fort Pierce, Florida, where he died on May 15, 1972.   

Mulligan will be remembered in Schuylerville history for his athleticism. It seems fitting that on October 17, 1928, on the 151st anniversary of the surrender of Saratoga, the village of Schuylerville honored Milligan with a parade. “A local resident has said it never rains on 17 October. It poured instead last night. In spite of pouring the Schuylerville Fire Department Fife and Drum corps and citizens, automobiles escorted John A. Milligan Philadelphia National League baseball pitcher from the home of his parents on Green Street to the Hotel Schuyler, where 80 enthusiastic residents sat down to the dinner given under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce to “Johnnie” or Lefty Milligan, as he is popularly known,” according to the Saratogian the following day.  

 Sean Kelleher is the historian for the Town of Saratoga, the vice president of the Saratoga County History Center, and the vice chairman of the Saratoga County 250th American Revolution Commission. Kelleher is a contributing writer to More Saratoga County Stories and Saratoga County Stories.

Wrestlers Place at States – Locals Finish Strong at State Tournament

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

Taylor Beaury (far right) stands at the podium after finishing in seventh place in the 126-pound weight class at the 2023 NYSPHSAA Division 1 wrestling championships. Photo provided by Jake Zanetti.

ALBANY — Eight local wrestlers competed at the NYSPHSAA Division 1 State Championships over the weekend at MVP Arena in Albany, concluding their seasons against the top wrestlers in New York State.

Ballston Spa’s Darrien Insogna finished as the NYSPHSAA Division 1 runner-up at 215 pounds, falling to Minisink Valley’s Ethan Gallo in the state championship match. Connor Gregory earned a third-place finish at 160 pounds for the Scotties, while Ralph Keeney placed fourth at 110 pounds. Also competing for the Scotties was Cameron Hinchcliff.

Saratoga Springs’ Taylor Beaury earned a seventh-place finish at 126 pounds, while Lorenzo Palleschi battled to an eight-place finish at 189 pounds. Also competing for the Blue Streaks were Vito Spadafora and Patrick McKinley.

Ballston Spa head coach Harvey Staulters said it was “great to get them out there a second time,” noting that Insogna, Gregory, and Keeney all wrestled at last year’s state championships as well.

“Because of their experience, they were a little more at ease, and had a little higher expectations, a little higher goals,” said Staulters. “It was great to watch them compete.”

All three of the Scotties’ returning wrestlers improved on their finishes from the 2022 state championships.

Saratoga head coach Jake Zanetti said the weekend was “a nice culminating event” for Spadafora and Palleschi, who are seniors. Zanetti added that it was great experience for Beaury, a sophomore, and McKinley, a junior.

“Definitely a great opportunity for all four of them for different reasons,” said Zanetti. 

For Ballston Spa, Insogna opened his tournament by pinning Longwood’s William Francois, then pinned Central Square’s Rocky Files in the quarterfinals. Insogna pinned Bellport’s Jaiden Green in the semifinals, dropping an 11-4 decision to Gallo in the state title match.

Gregory earned a 17-6 major decision over Horseheads’ Liam Levantovich in his opening match, rallying to earn a 6-4 sudden victory decision over Iona Prep’s Sean Dagl in the quarterfinals. Gregory fell in the semifinals, dropping a 5-3 decision to Cornwall’s Tyler Reed, before winning a consolation match over Churchville-Chili’s Coy Raines to advance to the third-place finals. There, Gregory beat Degl again, earning a 3-2 decision.

Keeney opened the tournament with a 15-2 major decision over Brady Judd of Warwick Valley, dropping a 9-0 major decision to Valley Central’s Luke Satriano in the quarterfinals. Keeney earned consolation round victories over Jason Euceda (Brentwood), Ryan Cielinski (Spencerport), and Ryan Ferrara (Chenango Forks), before dropping the third-place finals in an 8-4 decision against Long Beach’s Dunia Sibomana.

Hinchcliff defeated Hilton’s Tyler Simons in the first round, falling to Niagara Falls’ Amarfio Reynolds in the second round. In the consolation rounds, Hinchcliff earned a 9-5 decision over Horseheads’ Cody Dale, and a win by fall over Carthage’s Landon Copley before dropping a 5-0 decision to Pittsford’s Samson McKissick-Staley.

Staulters had praise for his wrestlers, saying they “exceeded expectations” over the weekend.

“They were inspirational, to continually fight and move forward, despite some of the adversities,” said Staulters. “Sometimes they lost, and they just kept coming back. It was really a great experience.”

For Saratoga, Beaury opened the tournament with a victory by technical fall over West Babylon’s Billy Colloca. He fell to Calhoun’s Ray Adams by an 8-2 decision in the quarterfinals. Beaury won his first consolation match over Fox Lane’s Justin Gierum, falling to Nikolas Massero of St. Joe’s Collegiate in the second. Beaury earned a 4-2 decision over Bellport’s Camryn Howard in the seventh-place match.

Zanetti said that Beaury “did really well,” noting that the 126-pound weight class was particularly strong.

“The seeds don’t really matter much at states,” Zanetti said. “He’s a tenth-grader, he battled a lot of older kids than him.”

Palleschi beat Canandaigua’s Mason Depew in the opening round, avenging a loss to Depew earlier in the season on Jan. 21. Palleschi fell to top-seeded Zack Ryder of Minisink Valley in the quarterfinals, and bounced back by winning his opening consolation match over Bethlehem’s Quincy Bonville. Palleschi lost to Pine Bush’s Braydon Pennell in the second consolation match, and dropped a 6-2 decision to Orchard Park’s Jack MacDonald in the seventh-place match.

Zanetti said it was nice to see Palleschi avenge his earlier loss to Depew, which came in sudden victory during the King Bison Invitational at Shaker High School.

“For him to get a ‘W’, that was really nice,” said Zanetti.

Spadafora lost his opening round match to Nyack’s Sam Szerlip, defeating Lancaster’s Mikey Schaefer in the consolation rounds. Spadafora fell to Clarke’s Justin Soriano in the third consolation round. 

“(Vito has) been a key program guy for a long time, so for him to get to the state tournament was really fun for him,” said Zanetti.

McKinley earned a 5-3 sudden victory decision over Davit Abjandadze of Edward R. Murrow High School, falling to Gallo, the eventual state champion at 215 pounds, in the quarterfinals. McKinley beat Josh Amiel of John F. Kennedy (Bellmore) by 4-3 ultimate tiebreaker in the first consolation match, falling to MacArthur’s Ben Velasquez by 7-2 decision in his second consolation match.

Zanetti described McKinley as “a total Cinderella story,” saying he emerged as one of the team’s top wrestlers midway through the season.

“Once he started showing signs of that, it was great for him to get out there,” Zanetti said.

Athlete Dominates Pro Debut – Saratoga Springs Native Don Walton Wins MMA Match

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Photo by John Dean.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, Muay Thai. You name it, and Don Walton likely utilized it during his professional MMA debut on Feb. 18.

Walton, a coach and trainer at the Saratoga Academy of Elite Martial Arts, defeated Jason LaPage as part of the Battle in Barre 9 in Barre, Vermont. The match was Walton’s first professional fight.

“It hasn’t become real yet,” said Walton of his victory. “It still is kind of sinking in a little bit. But it’s just nice to be able to watch all the years of suffering and hard work that I’ve been through finally come to fruition, and show something.”

Walton has been training at the Saratoga Academy of Elite Martial Arts since 2012, beginning as a student. Walton is a black belt in Kyokushin karate, a four-stripe brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a yellow belt in judo, and will be receiving his jiu jitsu black belt soon, said Saratoga Academy of Elite Martial Arts head instructor Jim Bruchac.

Eventually, looking to increase his skills, he headed west to advance his training at Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California. There, he worked with highly acclaimed trainer Rafael Cordeiro, who has trained fighters such as Anderson Silva, Maurício Rua, Wanderlei Silva, and more.

“It just was really amazing,” said Walton of the experience. “I just fell in love with it, I loved everything about it.”

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, however, Walton ultimately moved back to the Capital Region. Initially, Walton was unsure if he wanted to continue fighting, but said the itch eventually returned.

Walton’s professional debut would not come without its hurdles, however. His initial opponent dropped out due to an injury, and Walton’s first professional opportunity did not come until a year later. 

Walton said in order to stay prepared, he simply tried “not to focus too much on the fight.”

“I tell people, if all you do is focus on trying to be a fighter, you’re going to burn yourself out,” said Walton. “You physically and mentally cannot be focused on fighting all the time.”

That’s where his role as a teacher comes in. Walton said he focuses most of his time on being a martial artist and a teacher at the Saratoga Academy of Elite Martial Arts, saying it is “more rewarding” to watch another person develop their skills.

“I really enjoy teaching more than anything else. Fighting is really fun, don’t get me wrong,” Walton said. “But it’s more rewarding to me to watch someone else develop themselves in a way, where I get to play a role in that myself.”

Walton runs the Academy’s muay thai programs for both adults and children, and is a camp instructor at the martial arts school at Ndakinna Education Center, Bruchac said.

“We have some very competitive kids in both those arenas,” said Bruchac. “Right after winning his fight, he was helping us run one of our youth camps, our nine-year-old group.”

Eventually, the day of Walton’s fight came, and saw him utilize a wide variety of moves in order to capture a win via leg lock in the second round. Walton said the skill learned from a variety of styles has been invaluable.

“In this fight, I got to use muay thai. I used karate, I used judo, I used wrestling, I used jiu-jitsu. Just everything that we do here,” said Walton.

Bruchac said Walton is ultimately fighting “for his students,” providing a real-world example of the moves and methods that the Academy teaches.

“To highlight what we teach at our school, to show things come to fruition in a real situation like a sports situation, and then be able to pass that on to his students,” said Bruchac. “He fully illustrated all that we offer at the school in brilliant fashion.”

“For me, I like to say this is the example,” Walton said. “You see now why I require you to understand judo, why I require you to understand wrestling. … It’s not just about punching people, you have to also be able to deal with every possible scenario.”

As for the future, Walton said that while he has been offered more professional opportunities, he will likely only fight “once or twice a year.”

“At the end of the day, my career is a coach and a martial artist,” Walton said. “I hope to get back in there again before the end of the year. But right now, we’ve got other guys on our team that I’m trying to help bring up. I’ve got some guys that might be fighting in March and April, so I want to help those guys first.”

Walton said that ultimately, professional fights are a way for him to test himself.

“For me, I like to push myself to the limit and just be able to find out, how far can I go? How far can I push my body?” said Walton. “Win or lose, I don’t care. It’s all about me testing myself and my skills. It’s not about me proving anything to anyone other than myself.”

Under Development: Renovations at Longfellows, Redevelopment of Stewarts, SoBro Hotel Expansion

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

Photo provided. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Planning Board will host its next meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 9 at City Hall. 

Planning Board applications currently under consideration include:  

• Stewarts 177 S Broadway & 28 Lincoln – Initiation of Coordinated SEQRA Review of a proposed redevelopment of existing Stewart’s Shop, demolition of all existing site features and replacement of fuel tanks and canopy, and a new two-story 3,720 sq. ft. Stewart’s Shop.

•3368 South Broadway Hotel – Expansion Site Plan review for an addition to an existing hotel to incorporate 17 new rooms in the Gateway Commercial – Rural district. The expansion along the southern hall of the building would be a total of 2,942 square feet new footprint, according to documents filed with the city. Three parking spaces will also be added to the site of the project, which is titled Homewood Suites. 

• 500 Union Longfellows Renovations – Site plan review of a proposed redevelopment of the existing Longfellow’s hotel, restaurant and conference center in the Interlaken PUD. 

The project description calls for the demolition of the restaurant portion of the main building, while maintaining the existing hotel rooms on the building’s north side. Addition plans point to the development of a new building to connect to the existing block of hotel rooms and the construction of a connecting bridge. 

In specific numbers, plans call for the number of rooms to increase from 18 in the main building and 32 in the hotel wing, to 54 and 34, respectively, according to the most recently revised plans submitted to the city.

‘Let Our Residents Enjoy Saratoga Lake’: Town of Malta Buys Former Mangino’s Property, Plans To Build Public Park

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Business, Featured.

The former Mangino’s Ristorante. Photo by Dylan McGlynn.

MALTA — The Town of Malta has purchased the property of the former Mangino’s Ristorante, and the town has plans to turn the location into public lake access and more.

Mangino’s, a restaurant run by the Mangino family for 72 years, closed in 2018. Town of Malta Supervisor Mark Hammond said plans for the town to purchase the property were “long-awaited.” The town purchased the property for $1.9 million, Hammond said.

“This has been something that was on my radar nearly two years ago, when I was deputy supervisor,” said Hammond. “I really thought that property was something, that it would be a benefit to the town residents to obtain that and solidify and firm up any lake access we would ever have on behalf of our town to the lake.”

Hammond said he “breathed a huge sigh of relief” when the sale was finalized, emphasizing the importance of the town having public lake access. 

“Really happy that we’re at this point,” Hammond said. “It’s step one. …The major step is the first one, and that was getting the property.”

Hammond said he hopes to create office space and boat slips/launches for the Saratoga Lake Protection and Improvement District (SLIPID), the Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company, and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol. 

Hammond said there are also goals to build a park for residents, and mentioned picnic spaces, a non-motorized launch, and a fishing pier as possibilities. Hammond said the goal is to allow the town’s residents to “enjoy the lake.”

“That’s our goal. Let our residents enjoy Saratoga Lake,” said Hammond. “It’s our way of affording them access to that body of water that a lot of people enjoy. But from the Town of Malta standpoint, we had nothing until now that guaranteed our residents access to that lake.”

Hammond said he envisions the park holding picnic areas, grill setups, and more, allowing a space where residents can relax by the water and “enjoy the serenity of the lake.”

“Basically, just relax, and enjoy one of the beauties that we have right in our backyard,” Hammond said. “It really, truly, is a gem.”

Hammond also said it would be beneficial for SLIPID, Malta Ridge, and the County Sheriff’s Marine Unit to have a presence on the lake. He said SLIPID “are the true stewards” of Saratoga Lake.

“I want them to have their own bonafide office space, where they can show the residents, and have a presence at this location, to show, ‘Hey, this is what we’re doing to keep this lake healthy, and keep it safe,’” said Hammond. “I’d like to have those three entities have a means to say, ‘OK, this is where we can launch to and from, or slip,’ and also provide what small office space they may need to facilitate their operations daily.”

The property is roughly 2.65 acres in total, said Bonnie Mangino, daughter-in-law of former Mangino’s owners Richard and Pauline Mangino and a former employee of the restaurant. She said the family is “so grateful” to Hammond and the town for their purchase.

“We are so grateful to Mark Hammond. It’s really his vision to make that happen, and to make sure that property didn’t go to some sort of private development,” said Mangino. “He worked hard, and over a long period of time, to make that happen.”

Mangino said the family is glad the property will become a resource for local residents.

“Gratitude is the absolute feeling of the week, and the month, and the year,” Mangino said. “Toward a lot of people, but Mark is at the top of that list, for sure. …Years from now, people won’t remember our name or his name, but they’ll know that park and they’ll love it.”

Hammond said the town is hoping to move quickly, attempting to maintain “forward momentum” with the project.

“Once we get pointed into a direction of what we should do, I’m going to move as quickly as I can,” said Hammond. “Not because I want to do it out of haste, but because I don’t want this opportunity to lose its steam. I want this to move forward, and I want it to be available for people sooner than later.”

The Times They are a Changin’ – City Council Implements Modifications

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

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Addressing potential solutions to the lengthy and at-times volatile public comment sessions during recent council meetings, the city is looking to change meeting start-times from early evenings to late afternoons. It will also relocate public comment sessions from the traditional meeting-start to meeting-end and extend each speaker’s allotted time limit by adding additional minutes.

“All meetings will now start at 5 p.m.,” city Mayor Ron Kim announced while proposing the changes during the council’s Feb. 21 meeting. “We (will be) starting a little earlier to get to some of the standard business that has to be done by our City Council.”  City Council meetings are typically held on the first and third Tuesday of each month. 

Public Comment periods – both, those targeting specific proposals as well as sessions provided for general commentary – will be moved to the tail end of meetings. The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors similarly stage their public comment periods at the end of their regular meetings. Each speaker will be allotted twice as long to talk as is currently allotted.

“Each person will have four minutes to speak, rather than the current two minutes,” Kim said. “People seem to be very constrained by the two-minute time period. We’re doubling the time and adding a (once-per-month) Community Forum which will allow groups to speak to us in a more open and less constrained manner. We do believe this will enhance our ability to interact with the public.” 

The changes are anticipated to go into effect with the council’s next meeting on March 7. The 5 p.m. commencement stands in contrast to the traditional 7 p.m. start of meetings that back many years and through several administrations. A sampling:   

April 4, 2000 – Mayor Ken Klotz called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Meeting Notes: Commissioner Thomas McTygue informed Council members that two individuals had been apprehended in Congress Park for pouring dye on the Katrina Task stairway. He said these individuals were caught due in great part to the new cameras placed throughout the park.

April 20, 2004 – Mayor Michael Lenz called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. and reviewed some of the guidelines for the public comment period: 1 – Speakers must step to the microphone and give their name, address and organization; 2 – Speakers must limit their remarks to two minutes on a given topic; 3 – A total of 15 minutes shall be allotted at the beginning of each Council meeting for the public comment period. If more time is needed, time will be provided to those still wishing to speak at the end of the Council meeting; 4 – All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body, not solely to any member thereof; 5 – Speakers shall observe the commonly accepted rules of courtesy, decorum and good taste. 

March 21, 2006 – Mayor Valerie Keehn called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Agenda: Finance Commissioner Mat McCabe leads discussion on city Bond Rating; Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim announces the formation of a Pedestrian Safety Committee.  

July 15, 2008 – Mayor Scott Johnson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Several people spoke during the public hearing regarding the donation of land to the Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) on Walworth Street to enable the Shelters to build a transitional housing to compliment the Shelter already existing there.

Dec. 6, 2016 – Mayor Joanne Yepsen called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Discussion and Vote: Resolution for Humanity, Respect and Inclusiveness; Announcement: Special City Council Meeting on Affordable Housing scheduled to take place Dec. 14. 

Oct. 5, 2021 – Mayor Meg Kelly called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. and opened the public comment period at 7:01 p.m. Melanie Trimble of the New York Civil Liberties Union addressed the arrests made of BLM activists in the past weeks and expressed the belief that the protestors were engaged in actions protected by the first amendment. 

Feb. 21, 2023: meeting call to order 7 p.m.  City Mayor Ron Kim lead a discussion regarding changes for future City Council meetings.   

The proposed changes

• Saratoga Springs City Council meetings will now be called to order at 5 p.m. 

• Public Comment Period, normally held at the beginning of meetings and allowing 2 minutes per public speaker, will now be held just prior to conclusion of meeting, allowing 4 minutes per speaker.  

• Proposals up for vote requiring public comment will be re-arranged accordingly, so the public may   voice their opinion prior to a Council vote taking place.

• At least one City Council meeting per month will also include a Community Forum. That forum, anticipated to run 30-to-60-minutes in length, will be an open forum and focus on one specific item, selected by the mayor’s office with public input. Council members and supervisors are invited, but not required, to attend the forums. 

Details Emerge on Wilton Mall Plans – 296 Apartments, 88 Townhomes

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Business, Featured.


Paramount Development principal Tom Settle (left) and Wilton Mall general manager Mike Shaffer (right) discuss plans to construct 296 apartments and 88 townhomes on the property of the Wilton Mall on Tuesday. Dylan McGlynn photo.

WILTON — Officials from the Wilton Mall, Macerich, and Paramount Development met on Tuesday to discuss proposed plans to add nearly 400 apartments and townhomes on the site of the mall’s former Bon-Ton location.

The group included Wilton Mall General Manager Mike Shaffer, Tom Settle, Principal at Paramount Development, and Tawney Farmer, Macerich Vice President of Development. Shaffer said the project can be a “catalyst” for attracting new uses to the mall.

“The project is really about economic revitalization, and ensuring that we continue to contribute to the Town of Wilton the way we have historically, and also continue to make this a vibrant shopping center with mixed-use and new uses that are essential in today’s environment for malls of our nature,” said Shaffer.

First proposed to the Wilton Town Board in April 2022, the project would see the development of 296 apartments and 86 townhomes in place of the former Bon-Ton location.

Bon-Ton closed in 2018, and has been vacant since. Wilton Mall partnered with Paramount Development in May 2021, and began developing plans for apartments.

Roughly half the apartments will be one-bedroom, said Settle, while townhomes will primarily be two- and three-bedroom units. The plans also include a clubhouse between 12,000 and 20,000 square feet, and Settle said the group has looked into amenities such as an indoor pool.

“We want to do as much as we can afford to do,” said Settle. “We’re going to do what everybody else does, and then some.”

Surface-level and garage parking will be available to residents. Settle said the complex would have a gated entry that residents can access via their phones, and other smart features. Rent is expected to begin around $2,000, Settle said.

Tawney Farmer, Vice President of Development at Macerich, said they envision the mall becoming a “town center.” The goal is to attract more entertainment, dining, and retail spaces back to mall property.

“It’s going to drive traffic to the property, not just to shop for retail, but for restaurants, and for entertainment, and visiting people who live here,” said Farmer. “We’re trying to create a place where the community wants to be, not just to shop.”

“And what better amenity to a residential community than having shopping and restaurants just outside your door?,” Shaffer added. “The project will also be pedestrian friendly, offering convenient access to Wilton Mall via sidewalks and green space.”

Shaffer said the mall’s first venture into mixed-use was when Planet Fitness and Healthy Living Market opened in the former location of J.C. Penney in 2012 and 2013. More recently, Saratoga Hospital moved parts of their operation into the former Sears location in 2020.

“As we continue to bolster our property for success, it’s important once again we look beyond the traditional plans to replace a former anchor that has been vacant for some time,” said Shaffer.

Shaffer and Farmer said there is general interest in the area, but that many companies are seeking visibility on Route 50. 

“There’s not a lot of vacancy on Route 50, and there’s interest in this market,” Shaffer said. “We need to be able to offer some additional reasons besides the traditional mall to attract that interest.”

“Everybody wants that Route 50 frontage, they want that visibility,” added Farmer. “But if we can create a destination, it’s a different story. …  There are national restaurant chains interested in the area, but they want to be on Route 50. The signage is one of the things too that we show in the renderings. 

“In the future, we can do that to get them the Route 50 visibility, but they’d be in the property, either in the parking lot or in the mall. So we need this first domino to fall, and then we can hit the retailers hard and get the interest back.”

The project will operate in two phases, Shaffer said. Phase one would consist of the apartment developments, the demolition of Bon-Ton, and “some additional green space” and landscaping between the apartments and the mall. The townhomes would be constructed as part of the second phase.

Shaffer said infrastructure for the plans are already in place due to the mall. He said a traffic study did not identify additional impacts to area traffic, with Farmer saying the mall was, “built for traffic.”

“It’s built in close proximity to the highway,” said Farmer. “It’s built to handle a lot more traffic than it’s getting, that’s for sure.”

Shaffer said he has served as the mall’s general manager for 11 years, and spent 30 years in retail prior. He is a resident of the Town of Wilton, he said.

The Town of Wilton Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the project to the Town Board, provided they show renderings of the project. An update on the project, including the renderings, will be presented at the upcoming board meeting on March 2 at 7 p.m. at 22 Traver Road in Gansevoort, with the group saying they are hoping the board will set a public hearing.

More information on the project is available at reimaginewiltonmall.com.

Local Wrestlers Heading to States

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

The Ballston Spa varsity wrestling team, pictured at the 2023 Section 2 Championships at
Cool Insuring Arena on Feb. 4. Photo provided by Harvey Staulters.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Five local wrestlers earned Section 2 Division 1 Championships over the weekend, with eight wrestlers in total clinching their spots at the NYSPHSAA State Championships.

Ralph Keeney, Connor Gregory, and Darrien Insogna all captured Section 2 Division 1 Championships in their respective weight classes for Ballston Spa. Saratoga’s Taylor Beaury won the Section 2 Division 1 Championship at 126 pounds, while teammate Lorenzo Palleschi won the Section 2 Division 1 title at 189 pounds.

Saratoga’s Vito Spadafora and Patrick McKinley each finished as runner-ups in their weight classes, clinching a spot at the NYSPHSAA State Championships. Cameron Hinchcliff also finished as a runner-up for the Scotties and earned a spot at states.

Both Saratoga and Ballston Spa will send four wrestlers each to the NYSPHSAA State Championships, held Feb. 24 at MVP Arena.

Saratoga head coach Jake Zanetti had praise for his champions, saying Palleschi and Beaury both lead by example for the Blue Streak squad.

“It means a lot. These two have done everything right as far as setting themselves up to be successful on the mat,” said Zanetti. “This is not an easy sport, and those who’ve done it know that best, and for a young wrestler to be able to reap the benefits of their hard work, it’s a beautiful thing.”

Zanetti said he was “really proud” of Palleschi, a senior. He added that Beaury, a sophomore who also appeared at the state championships last season, has his sights set high this year.

“(Lorenzo is) an awesome young man, and he deserves all the recognition and respect his peers, teachers, and coaches give him,” Zanetti said. “Taylor getting to day two of states last year as a freshman was great, but he was not satisfied. He’s a sectional champ as a 10th grader, but again, he has much bigger goals in another week.”

Ballston Spa head coach Harvey Staulters said while it was great to see his wrestlers win section titles, all three have “much higher” goals this year. The trio of Keeney, Gregory, and Insogna also competed at the state championships last season.

“It’s a stepping stone now, for the next step,” said Staulters. “It was great to see that, but you could tell they have a little more to prove when they get to the next level.”

Beaury beat Shaker’s Alex Polsinello by technical fall in the quarterfinals, pinning Shen’s Brandon Deuel in the semifinals. Beaury earned a 6-4 decision over Ballston Spa’s Cameron Hinchcliff in the championship match.

Palleschi earned pins in each of his first two matches, defeating Schenectady’s Anthony Paradine and Burnt Hills’ Santino Mareno before earning a 3-2 decision over Quincy Bonville (Bethlehem) in the championship.

Spadafora beat Averill Park’s Elias Goosmann in the quarterfinals and Shaker’s Malachi Moore in a tiebreaker in the semifinals, falling to Shen’s Arman Hashimee in the championship match at 172 pounds.

At 215 pounds, McKinley defeated Shen’s Caleb Janikas in the quarterfinals and earned a sudden victory decision over Colonie’s Jaydon Aquirre-Hamlin in the semifinals. McKinley fell to Insogna in the championship match.

On the Scotties’ side, Keeney earned wins by fall in all three rounds, pinning Queensbury’s A.J. Spero, Schenectady’s Xavier Vargas, and Niskayuna’s Drew Schiavo to win the Section 2 Div. 1 title at 110 pounds. Gregory pinned Alwalid Bourkia (Scotia-Glenville/Galway) and Matthew Hoxie (Columbia) in his first two matches, winning the sectional title at 160 pounds after earning an 11-3 major decision over Queensbury’s Lucas Schell.

Wrestling at 215 pounds, Insogna pinned his first two opponents in a combined 1:02, defeating Shaker’s Nicholas Whyte and Guilderland’s Antonio Cipollo. Insogna pinned McKinley in the championship match.

Hinchcliff earned his spot at states after advancing to the championship at 126 pounds with wins over Shen’s Arcangelo Losee and Averill Park’s Jacob Hanlon. Hinchcliff fell to Beaury in the championship match.

The head coaches of both teams also received honors, as Zanetti was named Section 2 Class A Coach of the Year, and Staulters was awarded Section 2 Class B Coach of the Year.

“It is an honor, but I keep telling people it should be ‘Coaching Staff of the Year,’” Zanetti said of his award. “No programs get to the top-tier of the section or state with one solid coach. … We’ve still got a long way to go on where we want to be, but it has been a lot of fun to put in the work on our end as a coaching staff.”

Staulters said it was “a wonderful honor,” noting it was made even more special by the fact that Scotties’ JV coach Gene Staulters, Harvey’s brother, was awarded Class B JV Coach of the Year.

“That’s special,” said Staulters. “We’ve worked together for a long time. Just a great working relationship, and of course, being brothers, a friendship too. For him to get the award with me is fantastic.”

The Ballston Spa team was also awarded the Section 2 Division 1 Team Sportsmanship award, the second straight year the Scotties have received the honor. Staulters said this speaks to the character of his athletes, saying the team has “wonderful young men and women.”

Keeney, Gregory, Insogna, and Hinchcliff will be the Scotties’ representatives at states on Feb. 24. Staulters said that the team will “take advantage of every opportunity we have,” in the days leading up to state competition.

“We are going to spend the time wisely when we’re together,” Staulters said. “The three that we had last year, they understand the situation they’re in. So they know that there’s a little more expectation, but also, they have higher expectations for themselves.”

Beaury, Palleschi, Spadafora, and McKinley will head to state competition for Saratoga. Zanetti said he is emphasizing to his athletes “that they cannot be happy with just qualifying and being there.”

“The seed number next to their name is no longer relevant, and all that matters is the next match, and doing what it takes to survive and advance,” said Zanetti. “The work is never done for these high-level guys, and they’ve got to know that they belong amongst the best in the state.”

“My only agenda is to help them.” SHCHC Physician Assistant Gives Back

Written by Helen Edelman Walker on . Posted in Business, Featured.

Samuel Halajian. Photo provided. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Saratoga Hospital Community Health Center (CHC) physician assistant Samuel Halajian, MPAS, PA-C, traveled a circuitous pathway to his career. Pivoting away from his success in film and TV production, Halajian now renders medical care both in a clinic setting and in the street to those with medical needs, regardless of their ability to pay.

A Briarcliff, New York, native, Halajian, a husband and father at 38, describes his early life as “an artist, always.” But even as a student at New York University, he found himself drawn to train as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and, once certified, he volunteered in Ossining, New York. Soon, despite making a professional mark in visual media, he yearned for more responsibility in medicine and became a paramedic, “physically and emotionally demanding work,” he recalls, in busy urban settings, like the Bronx, where he was exposed to a range of serious and stressful situations and problems, including violence, accidents, and injury.

“I loved it, but it was wearing me down,” says the Ballston Spa resident. “I couldn’t imagine doing it for 30 or 40 years. Then I learned about opportunities as a physician assistant, and it was definitely attractive to me. I knew I wanted to be in medicine, but I didn’t want to spend years and years in medical school. Being a P.A. was the answer.”

A physician assistant (P.A.) is a mid-level health care provider who may diagnose illnesses, develop and manage treatment plans, prescribe medications, and serve as a principal health care provider.

After researching his options, Halajian discovered that one of the best P.A. programs in the United States is through the military. In exchange for his extensive medical education, he committed six years of service after completing the training to the Army Reserves; he has two left to go. 

“It’s definitely not ‘free’ schooling,” he points out, adding, “The training was fantastic. The Army program is among the top 10 among about 300 in the United States.” Last year, Halajian was temporarily deployed as an Army medical officer to Eastern Europe.

“I love my work for both the Army and the Saratoga Hospital Community Health Center,” he enthuses, “The people I work with in health care are passionate about what we’re doing.”

Although anyone is welcome to use the Community Health Center, Halajian notes that he works extensively with the homeless population, both in the office and in the field, utilizing his special skills in addiction medicine and mental health.

“I go into motels, into the streets, the parking lots, the woods – where the homeless are, I go,” he says. Halajian explains he is part of “street outreach initiative” that relies on a network of partners, including Captain Community Services (the lead agency), Shelters of Saratoga, The Salvation Army, Healing Springs, and RISE Housing and Support Services. Other involved ar agencies include Veterans & Community Housing Coalition, Inc. and Wellspring, which serves individuals experiencing domestic violence. He is part of a weekly video conference with the network partners.

Halajian’s goal in the field is to establish trust with unhomed individuals via consistent, direct engagement outside the office, including to diagnose and treat acute and chronic medical concerns, including splinting a limb, binding a wound, diagnosing diabetes, COVID-19 testing and much, much more. The job is a perfect fit for Halajian, who is dedicated to working with mental health and addiction issues often found in this population.

“It’s a chicken-and-egg question,” Halajian says. “Do people become homeless because they are alcoholic or have mental illness, or does being homeless lead people to drink?” Either way, he tends to those who are struggling. “There are routine places I go,” he notes, “or I might get a call to check out a location or a specific person. I bridge the gap between the doctor’s office and the emergency department, because that’s often where the homeless end up. However, they may get immediate care and then not follow up once they’re on their own again. With me, there’s trust built over time and they’ll hopefully come to the office for help or see me again in the street. Not all, not everyone I see, obviously, follows up, but I would say I now have more than 20 office patients who are unhomed. The situation is improving.”

He says, “There is much I can do in the field and in the office, write prescriptions, order tests that people need to get into detox programs and expedite the results, interact with a case manager from social services, and more.”

Some homeless people depend on Medicaid or Medicare, acknowledges Halajian, but some, such as those who live in a woods encampment, for example, have commercial insurance through a job. Also, social services, disability insurance, and other supplemental income programs are set up to help fill prescriptions.

“When we combine our inter-agency skills, the care team is very resourceful at getting people what they need with discretionary funds from drug companies, for example,” Halajian points out.

Halajian is quick to point out that there is “no one response or reception” to his presence in the field. “It depends on the individual, or even a mood that can change day to day. But I am not there to judge, I am there to love and help them all.”

Some of the homeless want nothing to do with Halajian and his services, he admits, but he rarely gets “right down to business. We do a little dance of getting to know each other to build trust. Some of these people, when sober, are intelligent, funny, and warm. I love talking to them, whether we’re in the street or the office. More and more, enough of them know who I am to begin to believe I’m there to help. There are folks I encounter who start out very suspicious, people with mental illness, and they’re really challenging to treat, they’re very guarded, but the vast majority are willing to engage and want me to be their provider.”

Halajian observes that there are fluctuations in the volume of the homeless population and that “They seem to come in waves – in the summer there are many homeless near the train station in the woods, but then some end up in jail or in the hospital or another mental health program, and many are gone when it gets cold.”

“Everyone individual is different,” underlines Halajian. “There is not one single factor that drives people into the street; if we talk to 50 people, we get 50 stories. Looking at human beings as ‘trends’ is not useful. What is productive is asking what we can do.”

Halajian disagrees with those who claim there aren’t enough services for people who are unhomed. “We have services, what we also have are barriers to access, for example, a lot of people don’t have transportation to service agencies or doctors and that’s the problem: barriers to care.”

He also says that mental health problems are another barrier, as it may make patients non-compliant. “If I see someone with high cholesterol and treat them, but they insist on living on pizza and hamburgers, that’s not my fault,” he points out. “We can offer assistance, but we can’t make people accept it. But, it’s really important not to paint the homeless population with a broad brush. While a lot of my patients have the tragic disease of alcoholism, we do have some success engaging them for detox, mental health services, and employment. It helps to find out about the individual’s unique history and how he or she got to a place of being homeless and alcoholic, or to abusing other substances, to support them in making good progress. I put my hand out – it’s up to them whether to take it. Sometimes, people with addiction issues make bad choices. Unfortunately, that’s when they become visible to the public. I try to give people the help they need so they can do better, do well.”

Halajian notes that the Community Health Center is a patient-centered medical home which offers behavioral health, addiction medicine, dental, and primary care services.

“This is complex work,” Halajian says. “We have to keep these people safe. Nobody should freeze to death in Saratoga – I think we can all agree on that. People get uncomfortable and unhappy with the idea of unhomed people being around them, so I’m grateful that my role is focusing on health care, but I can’t do it all by myself. That’s why we have a network of partners. We are there for each other and the people we serve. I get to build all these relationships with people who live with barriers. I get to talk to people about how to take care of themselves – and that’s a privilege. There’s a lot on my plate, but it makes me grateful to have a home, food on my table, and a family to love.”

10 Saratoga Wrestlers Advance to Section 2 Division 1 Championships

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

Photo provided by Kim Delgado. 

GUILDERLAND — The Saratoga Springs varsity wrestling team put forth a dominant effort at the Section 2 Division 1 Class 1 Individual Championships, with five Blue Streaks placing first in their weight classes, and ten advancing to the Section 2 Division 1 Championship meet.

Taylor Beaury, Gordon Murray, Gianni Delgado, Lorenzo Paleschi, and Patrick McKinley all earned first-place finishes in their respective weight classes. Chase Matter, Vito Spadafora, and Kyle Edwards placed third in their weight classes, while Danny Dacey earned a fourth-place finish for the Blue Streaks. 

Hayden Passaretti also placed fifth for the Blue Streaks at 132 pounds. All ten wrestlers will advance to this weekend’s Section 2 Division 1 Championships at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls.

At 126 pounds, Beaury pinned Colonie’s Jacob Podeswa in the quarterfinals, defeating Arcangelo Losee of Shenendehowa by a 4-0 decision in the semifinals. Beaury beat Shen’s Brandon Deuel by an 8-0 major decision in the championship match.

Murray won at 152 pounds by pinning Niskayuna’s Jake Relation in the quarterfinals, earning a 16-4 major decision over Shaker’s Nick Arier in the semifinals. In the championship, Murray pinned Shen’s Nick DiMonda at 1:42.

At 160 pounds, Gianni Delgado earned three straight pins to open the bracket, defeating Elijah Roe (Colonie), Evan Relation (Niskayuna), and Hamidullaha Faqeer (Albany). Delgado earned a 13-5 major decision over Shaker’s Donovan Deguire in the championship match.

In the 189-pound bracket, Paleschi pinned Niskayuna’s Nathan Wuttke in the quarterfinals and pinned Schenectady’s Anthony Paradine in the semifinals before a 12-4 major decision victory over Quincy Bonville of Bethlehem in the championship match.

McKinley, in the 215-pound bracket, pinned Shaker’s Nicholas Whyte in the quarterfinals before earning an 11-2 major decision over Guilderland’s Antonio Cipollo in the semifinals. McKinley won the championship match with a 12-7 decision over Colonie’s Jaydon Aquirre-Hamlin.

Saratoga had the most individual winners of any team in Class A, and had the second-highest team score (210.5 points).