The Wesley Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Wesley Community in Saratoga Springs, recently unveiled an accessible bus for residents of the Wesley Health Care Center. Funding of the Frontrunner® Low-Floor Minibus by Frontrunner Bus Group, Inc. was made possible in part by Wesley’s annual gala and golf tournament, and The VMJR Companies’ 6th Annual Architects vs. Engineers Golf Tournament. 

The accessible minibus, which seats 14 passengers, does not require steps or a wheelchair lift due to its low-entry platform, providing easier boarding access for residents with mobility challenges. The new bus will be utilized to transport Wesley residents to various off-site activities and is intended to foster greater independence and enhance overall quality of life.     

The Wesley Foundation’s La Dolce Vita 2025 annual gala and the Saratoga 9 & Wine golf tournament raised more than $130,000 toward the purchase of the bus. 

Additionally, VMJR presented a check for more than $68,000 to Wesley, the beneficiary of its annual golf tournament that was conducted this past fall, making it possible for the non-profit senior health care center to secure the purchase of the bus with funds to spare, which will be allocated for other vital services. 

“We feel privileged to have been chosen as the recipient of VMJR’s Architects vs. Engineers annual Golf Tournament fundraiser and the outstanding donation generated by that event,” said The Wesley Community CEO J. Brian Nealon. “We are also gratified with the success of our own fundraisers which have made it possible for us to purchase a much-needed, low-entry bus for residents with mobility issues. We offer our heartfelt thanks to all who supported this important initiative.”

The annual VMJR golf tournament raises funds for local non-profits and selects a different organization each year as the beneficiary from entry fees, sponsorships, raffles, and food and beverage sales generated by the event.

New York State recently announced more than $29.4 million in grants to support 29 water quality and climate resiliency projects in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC’s) Region 5. 

The awards are part of more than $265 million in investments recently announced by Governor Kathy Hochul to help protect drinking water, improve climate resilience, update aging water infrastructure, reduce contributors to harmful algal blooms, and secure statewide access to clean water.  

Today’s announcement is supported by funding from multiple grant programs administered by DEC and the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and investments from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, Environmental Protection Fund, and other sources. The programs—Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP), Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Mapping Grant (NPG), and Resilient Watersheds Grant (RWG)—help protect communities and water quality while reinforcing the State’s support for municipalities by making these critical projects more affordable and minimizing the financial burden on local taxpayers.  

“Since taking office, and most recently in the 2026 State of the State, Governor Hochul continues to provide unprecedented resources to invest in climate resiliency and water infrastructure to support communities across the State,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “With more than $265 million from multiple programs, including $185 million supporting improvements in environmental justice communities, the awarded projects will help our municipal partners achieve meaningful reductions in flood risk, protect drinking water, improve aquatic habitat, and safeguard residents from increasingly severe weather events.”     

“Governor Hochul is investing billions in water infrastructure every year to help local governments affordably advance crucial water quality and resiliency projects,” EFC President and CEO Maureen Coleman said,  “By pairing Environmental Bond Act funding with other State program funding to support new and signature programs, every dollar goes further and brings New York closer to a safer, more sustainable future. The new Resilient Watersheds Grant program will jumpstart flood-mitigation projects in some of the most at-risk communities while creating good-paying jobs that drive local economies.”   

The funding complements the historic environmental investments announced earlier this week in the 2026 State of the State, building upon the record support for New York State’s premier grant programs that fund critical water infrastructure, protect drinking water, and safeguard communities.     

Saratoga County  

• Saratoga County Soil and Water Conservation District:  

• $600,000 through WQIP for a salt storage shed construction project at the Town of Wilton Highway Garage to reduce salt runoff and protect groundwater and water quality in the Snook Kill watershed.  

• City of Saratoga Springs:  

• $520,000 through WQIP for a culvert replacement project on Gilbert Road. A larger, concrete structure will improve aquatic organism passage, reduce sedimentation, and increase flood resilience in the Fish Creek watershed.  

• $450,000 through WQIP for replacement of a structurally compromised culvert that is impacting aquatic connectivity and water quality. The project will restore aquatic organism passage, mitigate flood hazards, and improve overall stream function in the Saratoga Lake watershed.  

• City of Mechanicville:  

• $30,000 through NPG to update existing MS4 mapping to address gaps in data critical to mitigating flood risk and managing discharges to the Hudson River watershed.  

More than $208 million was awarded to 131 projects statewide through DEC’s WQIP grant program.  WQIP grants fund projects that directly improve water quality or habitat; promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency; or protect a drinking water source. View a full list of grant awards.

A total of $2.9 million was awarded to 44 projects through DEC’s NPG program to fund the initial planning of WQIPs, such as replacing undersized culverts, implementing green infrastructure, and completing State permit-required storm sewer mapping in urban areas. NPG projects reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering lakes, rivers, and streams, and improve resiliency against the impacts of climate change. View a full list of grant awards.

In addition, $55 million in new grant funding was awarded to 24 climate resiliency projects in 15 communities across New York State. EFC, in coordination with DEC, administers the RWG program funded through the Environmental Bond Act. RWG projects were selected to reflect the diverse, statewide issues that New Yorkers are facing and include stream and floodplain restoration; removal of dams, culverts and other barriers; culvert replacements; and property buyouts. The RWG program builds on the success of DEC’s Resilient NY, which delivers state-of-the-art studies of flood-prone, high-risk watersheds across the state. All awarded projects were recommended actions by Resilient NY studies or a comparable flood study. 

Mayor John F. Safford, the City Commissioners, and Supervisors will present the 2026 State of the City Address, which will detail the overall status of City operations and accomplishments for 2025, as well as the opportunities, goals, and objectives for the upcoming year. 

The event is open to the public and will be held on Tuesday, January 27 at 7:00 p.m. 

Those who wish to watch it live can attend in person at the Saratoga City Music Hall, City Hall-474 Broadway, 3rd Floor or via live stream on the City of Saratoga Springs website https://www.saratoga-springs.org.

Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby announced that David Bodenstab has been sentenced following his conviction for multiple violent felony offenses. On January 16, 2026, Bodenstab was convicted of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a Class B Violent Felony in violation of New York Penal Law §130.50(1), and Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D Violent Felony in violation of New York Penal Law §120.05(6). 

District Attorney Eby praised the dedication and advocacy of the prosecutors who handled the case. 

“This sentence reflects the gravity of the defendant’s actions and the steadfast commitment of our office to protecting victims of violent crime,” Eby said. “I want to commend Assistant District Attorney Emily Williams and Senior Bureau Chief Michele Schettino for their tireless efforts and strong advocacy on behalf of the victim. Their work pushed for accountability and justice every step of the way.” 

District Attorney Eby also emphasized the extraordinary strength of the victim.

 “Most importantly, I want to recognize the victim in this case,” Eby said. “Her courage, resilience, and determination throughout this process were truly remarkable. Because of her strength, a dangerous individual has been held accountable.” 

The Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office extends its sincere gratitude to the law enforcement professionals and advocates whose outstanding work helped secure this conviction, including but not limited to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, Investigator Brandon August, Investigator Nicholas Hess, Investigator Samuel Speziale, Deputy Justin Sicko, Crime Victim Advocate Mollie Benware, DA Investigator Mark Sauter and the New York State Police Forensic Video Multimedia Services Unit. 

District Attorney Eby concluded, “This case demonstrates what can be accomplished when prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim advocates work together with professionalism and determination to seek justice for victims of violent crime.”

The Sheriff’s Office’s Special Operations Team executed a search warrant Sunday at 11:45 p.m. at 12 Prospect St. in the village of South Glens Falls. The warrant was a joint operation between the Sheriff’s Office and the South Glens Falls Police Department and was the culmination of a lengthy investigation into illicit narcotics possession and sales in the village. As a result of the investigation and warrant execution, Khalil A. Danielson, 45, of Brooklyn, N.Y., Nicole L. Wray, 49, of South Glens Falls, N.Y., and Kevin A. Cottone, 37, of South Glens Falls, N.Y., were arrested. 

Danielson was charged with four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree (class B felonies). He is accused of knowingly and unlawfully possessing a narcotic drug with intent to sell it and a narcotic drug that had an aggregate weight of one-half ounce or more. Danielson was also charged with knowingly and unlawfully selling a narcotic drug. 

Wray and Cottone were each charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree, criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree (class B felonies) and criminal nuisance in the 1st degree (class E felony). They are accused of knowingly and unlawfully possessing a narcotic drug with intent to sell it and a narcotic drug that had an aggregate weight of one-half ounce or more. Both were also charged with maintaining a premise where persons gathered for the purpose of engaging in the unlawful sale of controlled substances and of obtaining a benefit from it. 

All three were arraigned before the Honorable Jeffrey B. McCabe in the Moreau Town Court. Danielson was remanded to the Saratoga County Jail while Wray and Cottone were released to pretrial services pending further proceedings in that court. 

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.