HALFMOON — The Town of Halfmoon announced the availability of its Farmers’ Market every Wednesday, from 3-6 p.m., in the Foyer of the Halfmoon Town Hall, located at 2 Town Plaza, Halfmoon.
The Halfmoon Farmers’ Market offers products from farms, along with specialty items from area crafters and vendors.
For more information, call 518-371-7410, extension 2200.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Former Public Safety Commissioner Christian Mathiesen officially announced his campaign for mayor of Saratoga Springs on April 26.
Mathiesen will be on the Democratic Primary ballot June 27, challenging incumbent Mayor Ron Kim for the Democratic nomination. The general election for all five city council seats – one mayor and four commissioners – as well as for two city Supervisor slots will take place in November.
Current Mayor Kim and mayoral challenger Mathiesen each also previously served on the City Council as commissioners of Public Safety.
Mathiesen said he and Kim have shared support for each another in the past but added that he has disagreed with a variety of actions Kim has taken since being elected mayor. Specifically, Mathiesen criticized what he called Kim’s support of “ill-conceived policies” as they related to city personnel – “a lot of my concerns are based on Mayor Kim’s support of Commissioner Montagnino’ s efforts in the Public Safety (department),” Mathiesen said – and expressed that the current mayor has allowed “mob rule to prevail” during recent council meetings.
“Instead of having a police department that’s run by law enforcement agencies, we seem to have a police department that’s run by civilians, and that should never be the case,” said Mathiesen, specifically citing the elimination of the assistant city police chief position, and a press conference led by Montagnino and Kim shortly following last November’s downtown shooting incident.
Regarding recent interruptions of City Council meetings by the public which haveincluded members of Saratoga Black Lives Matter, Mathiesen said, “I would have had police come in and remove people who disrupted the meeting,” and added: “I would like to speak to (members of) Black Lives Matter. I think we need to open the dialogue. I think the citizens in Saratoga Springs have learned a lot from the Black Lives Matter people and listened to their concerns. But I think also that Black Lives Matter need to be open to concerns that other citizens in Saratoga Springs have about a lot of other issues that have been brought up because of their activities.”
The city is currently exploring possibilities for a future location of a homeless shelter and evaluating whether that would take the form of a permanent venue vs. a temporary one, a 24/7 shelter or a space to be used only during the cold winter season, and whether it should allow entry to those who need it on a low-barrier status.
“It’s very important people are treated humanely,” said Mathiesen, adding he supports ensuring there is a buffer between any proposed location siting and schools.
“You need to have adequate funding, adequate support, you need to have professionals in that facility dealing with it. It’s a very, very complicated issue,” he said. “It would depend upon how much federal support there was, how much county support there was. This is a countywide and a statewide and a nationwide problem. And the people who have gravitated to Saratoga Springs go far beyond the borders of the city. Most of them are not Saratogians, so I think we really need to look at what kind of support we would be getting from other levels of government,” Mathiesen said. “Are there other alternatives to having one central low-barrier shelter? I think there are better solutions than that frankly.”
Mathiesen’s announcement was staged in front of the Canfield Casino and included three dozen supporters – former council members Robin Dalton, Michele Madigan – who is running for City Supervisor, and former deputy commissioner Eileen Finneran among them.
“For me, the biggest issue is trying to bring some normalcy and some decorum back to city government,” Mathiesen said. “I will bring back normalcy. I will show respect for the many city employees who make our city government work so well and I will reach out to all facets of our community on a regular basis…everyone will know they are being heard.”
The Primary Election will take place June 27. City Republicans have endorsed John Safford for Mayor. The General Election will take place Nov. 7.
BALLSTON SPA — The long-running interactive “Sheep to Shawl” program at Brookside Museum returns to the Saratoga County History Center on May 13 from 1 – 4 p.m.
Sheep, lambs, farmers, herders, and shearers, including the famous Fred the Shearer, and the Rock Day Spinning Guild will assemble on Brookside Museum’s front lawn to demonstrate every facet of sheep raising, shearing, and spinning to produce the wool clothing that was so ubiquitous in early America.
Sheep to Shawl is a hands-on, family-friendly event. Activities include petting the sheep, meeting farmers, and participating in demonstrations.
Brookside Museum is located at 21 Fairground Ave., Ballston Spa. A well-preserved 1792 mansion, Brookside houses the records, collections, and exhibits of the Saratoga County History Center. Visit www.brooksidemuseum.org.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — fourth-generation Saratogian Carol Daggs will lead a discussion filled with rare photos that will open up a unique aspect of history in the Spa City at the Saratoga Springs History Museum in the Canfield Casino, 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18.
Daggs is author of the book “Saratoga Soul Brandtville Boogie,” and a descendant of the original residents of Brandtville, a historically African American farming community dating back to the 1800s located at the edge of Saratoga Springs. Daggs is an accomplished musician, entertaining speaker, and board member at Saratoga Springs History Museum.
TICKETS: Free for Museum Members, $10 for the general public – visit www.saratogahistory.org/events for full details.
The museum is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. For more information, please call 518-584-6920 or visit www.saratogahistory.org
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Wesley Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Wesley Community in Saratoga Springs, will host its annual gala at The Lodge at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday, May 13 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Proceeds from the event will support The Wesley Health Care Center’s Life Enrichment Program. The initiative provides ongoing, meaningful social and therapeutic activities tailored to the capabilities and needs of each Wesley resident so they may continue to pursue their interests and passions.
This year’s Enchanted Evening gala will feature live music by Jukebox Rebellion, tarot card readings by James Joseph Rosenfield from LHB Soul Center, live guest watercolor portraits by Mary Jo Bradley and a silent auction. Dinner and beverages are included in the ticket price.
Founded in 1972, The Wesley Community was established as a long-term senior care facility and has steadily grown into a continuum-of-care campus featuring independent and assisted living apartments, compassionate skilled nursing and memory care services.
Tickets for the Enchanted Evening gala can be purchased for $175 per person or $350 per couple. Reservations are required and can be made at thewesleycommunity.org/gala. The Lodge at Saratoga Casino Hotel is located at 1 Nelson Ave., Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Impressions of Saratoga hosts its 7th annual Breyer Fun Day on April 22. The event takes place 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 368 and 445 Broadway and is open to all Breyer enthusiasts and horse lovers for children of all ages.
Breyer Animal Creations was founded in 1950 in Chicago, Illinois, originally called Breyer Molding Company. They gained recognition when the company was commissioned by F.W. Woolworth to create a horse statue (now known as the # 57 Western Horse) to adorn a mantel clock. Impressions of Saratoga has been carrying Breyer Model Horses since the 1980s and will have any available new models in stock.
The event is free and features a Breyer Model Show, Paint your own Model Horse craft project, a visit with our live miniature Dark Horse mascot UPSET, raffles, and prizes.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arts has announced the grantees for the 2023 Community Arts Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA).
The organization’s annual Community Arts Celebration will take place 10 a.m. –Noon on Saturday, April 22, at Saratoga Arts, 320 Broadway.
A total of 64 grants have been awarded supporting community-based arts and culture programs taking place in Fulton, Montgomery, and Saratoga Counties throughout 2023.
The program supports artists, non-profit organizations, and local municipalities in Saratoga, Fulton, and Montgomery Counties, in partnership with qualifying organizations and artists, to present innovative arts and cultural programs in local communities.
The largest funded local Community Arts Grantees include: Saratoga Springs Arts District, Inc. (Beekman St. Arts District – $5,000); Ballston Spa Community Band ($4,000); Senior Citizens Center of Saratoga Springs, Inc. ($3,500), and Discover Saratoga ($3,500).
SARATOGA SPRINGS – A local man was honored by the city this week for his generosity after donating a parcel of land in downtown Saratoga Springs to Habitat for Humanity.
The parcel of land on West Circular Street was donated by Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church leader and member Willard Chamberlin and is located, literally, in his backyard.
In collaboration with Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties, the construction of a new home on the land will benefit Brenda Meyre, a single mother of four children, according to the city proclamation, which designated April 18, 2023 as Willard Chamberlin Day.
SCOTIA — The Logan Strong Foundation (LSF), a locally-based childhood cancer non-profit, presents ‘The Gold Gala’, Friday, May 19 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Armory Studios in Schenectady.
The catered event features a spirits’ tasting, silent auction, DJ, dancing, photo booth and open bar.
Proceeds from past events have been used for Amazon Wish List items, gas and grocery gift cards, cleaning services and individual fundraiser items and services. Recent donations to the Ronald McDonald House and Albany Medical Center are included in the work of LSF.
Event organizers hope ‘The Gold Gala” will provide enough resources to serve up to 100+ families by the end of the year.
“My husband and I decided to create LSF in honor of our son”, said Jennifer Hendricks-Fogg, Founder and President, in a statement. “We know and understand what it’s like to feel your world crash down, and to live in the hospital for extended periods of time.”
Armory Studios, site of the inaugural event, is located at 125 Washington Ave., Schenectady and features over 90,000 square feet of production and studio spaces.
Tickets are on sale now through May 1 and are limited to 250 attendees. Choose $125 per person or levels at $250 and higher to include a ticket donation to an area family whose lives are affected by the disease. Sponsorships and silent auction donations are also invited up until the final ticket sale deadline. Visit: loganstrongfoundation.org/events/gold-gala. Learn about LSF and follow event updates on facebook.com/loganstrongfoundation
MOREAU — Dancing Grain Farm Brewery and local land trust Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature) are joining forces to release a honey IPA, inspired by the surrounding farmland for Earth Day. Each pour of this new draft will raise $1 towards land conservation in Saratoga County.
The public is invited to commemorate the occasion at Dancing Grain Brewery (180 Old West Rd, Moreau) on Saturday, April 22 from noon-5 p.m. The Earth Day event will be a celebration of both the environment and the community’s commitment to sustainability.
Saratoga PLAN will be available at the event with information on local trails, land conservation, and upcoming volunteer opportunities. Dancing Grain Farm Brewery is a field-to-glass farm brewery, owned by former PLAN Board Member Rachel McDermott.
