This Sunday: Cars on Union
Saratoga Automobile Museum presents Cars on Union Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS— The Saratoga Automobile Museum presents the second annual “Cars on Union,” from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday, June 16.
The event will take place between Nelson Avenue and East Avenue, and the organization says it will feature: amazing automobiles, great food, music an exciting day out for the entire family.
Admission is free for the general public. Spectator Parking is $10 and located at the main entrance to the Race Course (Gate 4 and Gate 8).
Saratoga Springs City Police Exam Announcement
SARATOGA SPRINGS – The city’s Municipal Civil Service Commission this week announced an open competitive exam for potential police officers will be held Sept. 28.
Among some of the details announced:
SALARY: 2024 Academy Pay $49,058. 2024 Starting Pay is $54,233 and Year 5 pay is $77,051. For 2025: Academy Pay $50,039, 2025 Starting Pay $55,318 and Year 5 Pay $78,592.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Saratoga County, Albany County, Schenectady County, Fulton County, Hamilton County, Montgomery County, Rensselaer County, Warren County and Washington County (established permanent residence one month immediately preceding the date of the written examination of Sept. 28, 2024). Candidates will be required to submit proof of residency when requested.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma or a comparable diploma as described in Section 58 of NYS Civil Service Law with successful completion of at least 60 semester credit hours from a New York State accredited or registered college or university, OR Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma or a comparable diploma as described in Section 58 of the Civil Service Law with at least three (3) years of Active Military Service, possessing an honorable discharge and DD214, OR At least three (3) years of full time paid non probationary permanent civil service employment as a certified police officer in the State of New York (not including State Trooper).
Must be a citizen of the United States, possess a valid NYS Driver’s License, and at least 19 years of age on or before the examination date to be admitted to the written exam. Eligibility for appointments as a police officer begins when the candidate reaches age 20.
An Agility Examination, Background Check, Medical Examination, and Psychological Examination will be conducted.
Applications are available on the 3rd floor of City Hall at 474 Broadway, or online www.saratoga-springs.org under Civil Service, or email civilservice@saratoga-springs.org to request one sent.
SSDC to Host June 23 Luncheon to Honor Legacy of Saratoga Springs’ Kathryn Starbuck
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Kathryn Starbuck, a Saratoga Springs resident born in 1887, was an organizer and leader in the local suffrage movement throughout her life, delivering speeches, organizing events and galvanizing women across Saratoga County into the 20th century.
In 1914, Starbuck became one of the first women to graduate from Albany Law School. She would later work as a professor of law at Skidmore College, serve as president of the Saratoga Springs Board of Education and become the first chairperson of the Saratoga County League of Woman Voters, according to the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, who in 2022 erected a historical marker in front of the Fifth Avenue residence in Saratoga Springs where the leader in Saratoga County women’s suffrage events made her home.
On June 23, the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee will host the Kathryn Starbuck Legacy Luncheon in memory and honor of Kathryn Starbuck.
Sasha Neha Ahuja, Campaign Director for New Yorkers for Equal Rights, will serve as principal speaker, and the 2024 Kathryn Starbuck Lifetime Achievement Award will be received Barbara Thomas, best known as a volunteer leader supporting the NY Equal Rights Amendment, League of Women Voters of Saratoga and NYS.
“The Starbuck Luncheon rises above politics to acknowledge our shared belief in equal rights for all. said Otis Maxwell, Chair of the SSDC. “Kathryn Starbuck’s life and legacy have inspired us for decades.”
Patricia Nugent, author, advocate, and chair of the Women’s Rights Awareness Campaign for Saratoga County LWV and member of the NY ERA Task Force, Robin Chappelle Golston, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, and former Executive Deputy Secretary in Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration will also be recognized. Additionally, two students from Saratoga Springs High School will receive Kathryn Starbuck Future Leaders awards.
The event takes place from noon – 2 p.m. Sunday, June 23 at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in the Saratoga Spa State Park. Tickets are available at: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/starbuck2024.
Saratoga National Historical Park Special Events City Council Meetings
STILLWATER —Saratoga National Historical continues its special events season in June with the following offerings:
Summer Equinox Natural History Walk – Thursday, June 20, 9 – 11 a.m. Meet at Visitor Center. Join Biological Technician Linda White for a walk through a lesser visited part of the park. Explore a field of ferns, native plants and pollinators, old growth trees, glacial activity, and talk about the families that called the area home. Meet at the Visitor Center and drive to Tour Stop 8.
Silent Wings: Raptor Rehab and Education – Saturday, June 22, 1 p.m. Visitor Center Patio. The Wildlife Institute of Eastern New York return to the park to present, “Silent Wings: Raptor Rehab and Education.” The program is designed for all ages to see live birds of prey up-close and to learn about their impressive adaptations and behaviors.
Who Messed Up? Unravelling British plans to crush America’s Revolution in 1777 – Sunday, June 30, 2 p.m. Visitor Center. The British had two major plans to crush the new United States in 1777 – one was to capture Philadelphia, and the other, Albany. The first succeeded brilliantly, while the other failed so spectacularly that it resulted in the surrender of the first British Army in world history. British politicians and generals pointed fingers and blamed each other for the spectacular surrender at Saratoga. So, who messed up? Was it King George? General Howe? General Burgoyne? You decide!
A complete listing of events is maintained at go.nps.gov/saraevents.
New Security Protocols for City Council Meetings
SARATOGA SPRINGS — This month, the city implemented new procedures designed to enhance security throughout City Hall.
Beginning with the City Council meeting on June 4, members of the public were subject to search and wanding prior to entering meetings, and a metal detection system sited on the building’s first floor, just outside council meeting chambers.
The change follows a Department of Public Safety review of security options and the recommendation of the city’s Insurance Carrier, NYMIR, to install a metal detection system prior to entering the City Council Meetings. At this time, the procedures will only be in place at City Council meetings.
Some of the specifics: all members of the public entering the City Council meetings will be subject to search and wanding, with all bags, packages, containers and property items subject to search. If any prohibited items are found on a person or in their belongings, they will not be allowed entry, according to the city.
Among prohibited items: firearms, alcohol, noxious materials (including Pepper Spray and Mace), edged weapons (these could be utility, pocket or Swiss army knives, and scissors), “nuisance” devices (such as bullhorns and whistles), stun guns, and a variety of other items deemed to be a security risk or disruptive to governmental activities, at the discretion of Saratoga Springs Police Department. Note, there will be no storage facilities at City Hall, such as lockers, to store any personal belongings.
The council is in general agreement that the first-level council chambers, with a maximum allowable capacity of 49, offers a superior locale for meetings, compared to the much larger capacity music hall on the third floor where occasional meetings have been staged in the past.
“We’re going to always try to meet in this room,” city Mayor John Safford said.
Yaddo Gardens Reopen for the Season
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Gardens at Yaddo have reopened for the season and will welcome visitors through Oct. 13, 2024.
The sanctuary, located on the public access grounds of the artists’ retreat at Yaddo, invites the public to immerse themselves in the gardens.
Open Hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests entering on weekends are asked to use the East Entrance. Limited parking is available, with additional guidance provided on yaddo.org/gardens/.
The Yaddo Reads Lending Library, a micro lending library stocked with books curated for children and young adults is accessible during Garden Open Hours and is freshly stocked with new titles for young readers.
Programs: The Art of Wellness series returns, with yoga classes held in the gardens on select Sundays through October. The Wine & Roses series pairs live music with vintage selections in the gardens. The Nature of Art features talks and readings exploring Yaddo and the region.
For those considering wedding ceremonies or photography sessions, the gardens are available for reservations, with a suggested donation.
The main gate of the Yaddo estate is located on Union Avenue between the racecourse and Exit 14 of the Northway. For more information on public events, visit https://yaddo.org/event-category/public/.
$10.7 Million for Region Public Housing Improvements; $800K for Saratoga Springs Housing Authority
ALBANY — Six Capital Region public housing authorities (PHAs) have been awarded a combined $10,762,770 in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Congressman Paul Tonko announced.
The funding will allow the local agencies to make needed investments to build, renovate, and modernize public housing in our Capital Region communities.
“The major grant awards announced this week will pay significant dividends for our Capital Region by funding needed repairs, enhancing sustainability, and ensuring that each and every one of our neighbors has a safe place to live, work, and raise a family,” Tonko said in a statement. “I’m grateful to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for this important investment, and I’ll continue working to build strong, sustainable, and inclusive communities across our region.”
The grants announced for Capital Region public housing authorities includes $796,911 for Saratoga Springs Housing Authority.
The funding is part of $3.17 billion awarded to 2,756 public housing authorities across the nation through HUD’s Capital Fund Program – which offers annual funding to all public housing authorities to construct, repair, and modernize public housing developments in their communities.
Historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower at Camp Saratoga
WILTON — Climb an authentic fire tower without having to climb a mountain. Get a treetop view of Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park and visit a re-created fire ranger cabin complete with a vegetable garden. It will be open from 10 am to 3 pm on the weekend of June 15 and 16. The tower will be closed in inclement weather.
Parking for the historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower is in Parking lot #3 on Scout Road. Children under the age of five are not permitted to climb the fire tower. The Historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower is owned and maintained by the Town of Wilton and is staffed by volunteers on behalf of the Town.
For more information, call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org.
Caregiver Challenges To Be Addressed by Author at Saratoga Senior Center June 24
Bob Semenza, author of “Times With Marie and Parkinson’s,” will be at the Saratoga Senior Center at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 24.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — According to the U.S. Census bureau, by 2034 there will be more Americans past retirement age than there are children under the age of 5. America is aging, becoming a nation of caregivers, one that requires a new system of support.
Caregiving is hard, relentlessly demanding work, but through acceptance, commitment, and love, it can be a rewarding experience – as it was for Bob Semenza, whose wife, Marie, suffered from Parkinson’s disease, which he wrote about in his book, “Times With Marie and Parkinson’s: a caregiver’s fulfilling journey of love and commitment, loss, renewal.”
Their story is also included in the new book, “When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others,” written by journalist Elissa Strauss and recently published by Simon & Schuster.
Semenza will conduct a reading of a section of his book at the Saratoga Senior Center at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 24, followed by a discussion of his personal caregiver journey, and the challenging issues which so many in a similar role will be, or presently are, facing. Copies of his autographed book will be available for purchase at the event.
The Saratoga Senior Center is located at 290 West Ave., Saratoga Springs. Phone: 518-584-1621.