A wildland firefighter takes part in a prescribed burn at Big Bend Preserve in 2025. Photo by the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
MOREAU — New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) is preparing for its second prescribed burn season at Big Bend Preserve, with plans to conduct burns this spring, summer, and fall.
State Parks treated 112 acres with prescribed fire at Big Bend during the inaugural burn season in 2025 as part of the agency’s stewardship efforts.
Burns will only be conducted when weather conditions meet strict safety and suitability standards. Factors such as wind speed, humidity, and fuel moisture levels will be carefully assessed before scheduling any burn. Due to these considerations, specific burn dates cannot be provided far in advance.
Each prescribed burn will last approximately one day. The burns will be conducted by State Parks staff in collaboration with partners such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.
During burn operations, temporary closures of roads, trails, and certain areas within Big Bend Preserve may occur to ensure public safety. Notifications will be posted on the Moreau Lake State Park website, mobile app, and Facebook page approximately 24 hours prior to the burns taking place.
Those who wish to receive advance notifications of upcoming prescribed burns can download the NYS Parks Explorer app and save Moreau Lake State Park for push notifications.
The Saratoga County 250th Commission announced tickets are on sale for the 5th Annual Turning Point Symposium. The event is May 2nd from 8:15AM to 3:30PM at the Old Saratoga American Legion Post, 6 Clancy St. in Schuylerville, NY. Additionally, a guided bus tour following the route of a British Raid on Ballston in October 1780 is offered on May 3rd from 10AM to 2PM.
General registration for the symposium is $75 and includes a light breakfast and deli lunch. The guided bus tour is $75 and includes a box lunch. Those interested can register for these events at Saratoga250.com.
Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian and Chair of the Saratoga County 250th Commission said, “As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches, we turn our attention to the ideas and actions of those who took part in the creation of this country. Symposiums like these remind us of how much we still have to learn from the people and events that took place two and a half centuries ago, and why their stories still matter today.”
Formerly known as the Women in War Symposium, the event features notable Revolutionary War era historians and authors presenting new scholarship to enhance our understanding of the War for American Independence. This year, the topics focus on the upstate New York area and the impact felt by both combatants and residents throughout the war. Additionally, the event will include exhibitor displays, books, and cutting-edge augmented reality demonstrations.
Emceed by historian and author Dr. Bruce Venter, the symposium will feature five speakers with several presenters focusing on the varied roles women played in the American Revolution. Turning Point Symposium attendees will hear unfamiliar stories of loyalists and patriots, learn about the challenges (and opportunities) residents faced and discover how they navigated a very personalized and bloody conflict. An optional walking tour led by Town of Saratoga Historian Sean Kelleher explores the Schuyler Legacy concludes the day.
On Sunday May 3rd the weekend continues with the British Raid on Ballston Bus Tour, led by local historian Jim Richmond whose book War on the Middeline describes the settlement of Middeline Road in Ballston in the years leading up to the Revolution. The four-hour tour will include stops along the Sacandaga Reservoir and lunch at the Middle Grove Town Park.
Kyle Baker has been arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder after he allegedly stabbed John “Clay” Williamson to death during a fight. (Courtesy of SSPD)
One man is dead, and another has been charged with murder after a fight in Saratoga Springs.
John C. “Clay” Williamson Jr., 44, died on the morning of Tuesday, April 14, after a fight on West Ave near Station Lane. Saratoga Springs Police say the call came in around 7:30, and officers were on scene within two minutes of being dispatched.
Police found Williamson going in and out of consciousness and bleeding from several stab wounds. He was transported to Saratoga Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said he had been living in a wooded area near where the incident took place.
During the initial investigation, West Ave was closed between Church Street and Washington Street. SSPD said that witnesses called 911 quickly, allowing officers to identify and locate others involved in the incident who cooperated with the investigation.
Another homeless man, Kyle D. Baker, 52, was arrested following the incident and charged with 2nd degree murder. Police allege that Baker stabbed Williamson to death during the fight. Baker was arraigned in the Saratoga City Court and remanded to the custody of the Saratoga County Correctional Facility without bail. As of the time of publication, he is set to appear in court on April 16 at 9:45 a.m.
While Baker has ties to Corinth, he had been living in a wooded area on West Ave at the time of the incident, according to SSPD.
This is not Baker’s first time being arrested in Saratoga County. In June 2020, he was arrested by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office after he fired a gun at residences on Hollow Road in the Town of Day as he drove by. A press release issued at the time of the arrest said the homes were occupied. At the time of that incident, he was listed as living in Warrensburg.
In 2021, Baker pleaded guilty to a 2nd-degree felony attempted criminal mischief. He began his sentence in April 2022 and spent nearly a year at the Marcy Correctional Facility before being paroled in March 2023. His parole expired in April 2024, according to records from the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Baker’s only other felony conviction came in 2012, when he pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in Warren County Court, according to court records.
The investigation into the alleged murder is ongoing. SSPD has requested that anyone who may have witnessed or recorded the incident contact them at (518) 584-8477 (TIPS) or by e-mail at tips@saratogapolice.org. Specific areas of interest to police include the Stewart’s Shop at 87 West Avenue, Station Lane, the American Legion at 34 West Avenue, and West Avenue between Station Lane and Washington Street.
The Saratoga Springs Police were aided by the New York State Police in securing the crime scene and interviewing witnesses, and the investigation is being done in coordination with the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office.
Homicides aren’t common in Saratoga Springs or Saratoga County. In 2024, only three homicides occurred countywide, according to state data. The last reported homicide in Saratoga Springs occurred in April 2025 after an individual accidentally killed his roommate with a pellet gun. It was the only reported homicide handled by the SSPD, according to their annual report.
Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby announced today that Stephen Bottino has pled guilty to Sexual Abuse in the First Degree (PL 130.65(3)), the sole felony charge for which he was arrested.
As part of the proceedings, the prosecution advocated for a state prison sentence in light of the seriousness of the offense and the impact on the victim. Despite that recommendation, the Court sentenced the defendant to one year in the Saratoga County Jail over the objection of the prosecution.
District Attorney Eby issued the following statement:
“While we respect the authority and discretion of the Court in sentencing matters, we are disappointed in the outcome of this case. Our office fought for the victim and believed that a state prison sentence was an appropriate and just result given the nature of the crime. We remain committed to advocating for victims and ensuring their voices are heard throughout the judicial process.”
The prosecution was led by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Pratt. The investigation was conducted by Investigator Samuel Speziale of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office.
The Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office extends its appreciation to law enforcement and all those who assisted in bringing this case forward.
MADISON, NEW JERSEY – Burnt Hills High School sophomore Randi Morris (16) went 4-0 in the brown belt 63kg division to win a gold medal at the 15th annual Garden State Judo Classic, held on April 12 at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Morris trains at the Jason Morris Judo Center in Glenville and is the daughter of Olympic Silver Medalist Jason Morris.
The Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services is seeking volunteers to deliver meals to homebound seniors who live in the greater Greenfield area. The department has an immediate need for volunteers who can pick up meals at Galway Town Hall and deliver to residents in the Town of Greenfield and surrounding area.
This essential program helps many seniors, age 60 and older, remain independent in their homes by providing them with a nutritious ready-to-eat lunch each weekday.
Volunteers can choose a flexible schedule that meets their availability, volunteering as little as once a week or as much as five days a week. Meals are picked up at 11AM and delivered until 1PM each weekday.
Becoming a volunteer is easy. Individuals simply fill out an application and provide references to the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services. Training and orientation are provided to all volunteers. Volunteers must have a valid driver’s license and their own vehicle.
Those interested in becoming a meal delivery volunteer should call the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services at 518-363-4020.
A Cambridge man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to rob a Bank of America on Division Street.
Eric Headwell, 61, of Cambridge was charged with felony 3rd degree attempted robbery. The incident occurred on the evening of April 9. According to the Saratoga Springs Police Department, officers were at the bank within two minutes of being dispatched and located Headwell shortly after.
Headwell is accused of trying to rob the bank, although he displayed no weapon and left the bank without any funds. Officers quickly located an individual entering a business on Broadway who matched a description given to them by bank employees. The individual, identified as Headwell, was interviewed by police and charged.
Headwell was booked and released on an appearance ticket pending further proceedings.
Senator Jim Tedisco, Andrew Miller and his parents, Galway School Superintendent Michael Miller and wife Meghan Miller. (Courtesy of Senator Jim Tedisco)
Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Ballston Lake) recently honored Andrew Miller, a junior at Galway High School with the New York State Senate Youth Leadership Award.
The NYS Senate Youth Leadership Award is given to students from across the state who have shown academic excellence, leadership and community outreach in going above and beyond in their school activities. Miller was nominated for the award by Galway High School Business Teacher Kathryn Pellett.
Miller is the treasurer of Galway High School’s Business Club, a role typically reserved for high school seniors. As club treasurer, Miller has increased sales through the club’s school store with innovative ideas that have made the school store the most successful it has been in years.
Andrew also is completing a business pathway for an additional certification on his high school diploma. This includes taking four college level business courses, an independent study, and a 54-hour internship program.
“Andrew Miller is clearly an exceptional young person who excels in his studies and extracurricular activities as a true leader among his peers at Galway High School by going above and beyond in all he does. As a former educator, I am proud to recognize outstanding young people like Andrew Miller and present him with the New York State Senate’s Youth Leadership Award, our highest award for young people,” said Senator Jim Tedisco, a former special education teacher and current Ranking Member of the NYS Senate Education Committee.
A Hadley man has been arrested for allegedly defrauding the county of over $1000 in benefits.
Oscar Bogran, 46, was arrested on April 2 on two counts of felony 2nd degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, felony 1st degree offering a false instrument for filing and felony 4th degree welfare fraud, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office.
Bogran is alleged to have filing two forged childcare statements to the Saratoga County Department of Social Services. The first of the statements was delivered to the Department on July 9, 2025 and the second was delivered on Oct. 27, 2025. In addition, Bogran filed an online SNAP recertification on Oct. 12 that concealed his household composition. As a result of the false statements, Bogran is accused of receiving benefits he wasn’t entitled to.
Borgan was arraigned in the Ballston Spa Village Court and released on his own recognizance pending further proceedings
On March 30, 2026, State Police of Brunswick arrested Caroline R. Garrity, 31, of Saratoga Springs, NY, for Criminal Facilitation 4th, a class “A” misdemeanor.
Over several months, Investigators identified a vehicle being repeatedly used in a counterfeit check scheme across Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady counties.
Garrity initially denied it, but the investigation determined that the vehicle had been rented by Garrity in her name, on January 30, 2026, from the Albany International Airport. Garrity reportedly was compensated for renting the car in her name and then turned the vehicle over to the individual who later utilized it to commit multiple crimes.
Garrity was arrested and processed at SP Latham. She was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Colonie Town Court on April 22, 2026, and released.
