Engine 426 in Saratoga Springs Station. Photo from the George S. Bolster Collection at Saratoga Springs History Museum.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A discussion of a unique historic train line – The Saratoga Limited – will be held 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17 at the Saratoga Springs History Museum.
See and hear about the Limited’s elegant coaches and parlor cars that were specially designed for the NYC-to-Saratoga service. Historian Richard Chait will discuss the facts on this piece of Saratoga and transportation history.
This live program takes place in the parlor of the historic Canfield Casino. Admission is free for History Museum Members, and $10 for non-Members. For tickets and more details go online to saratogahistory.org/events.
Saratoga TODAY is giving Away VIP tickets to a few groups of loyal readers.
Join Funny Cide’s owner Jack Knowlton, and Hall of Fame jockey Jose Santos as you relive racing history and eat great food from Saratoga’s best restaurants. Jose Santos rode Funny Cide to victory in the Kentucky Derby (The only NY bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby!). Get your photo taken with Funny Cide owner Jack Knowlton and Hall of Fame jockey, Jose Santos.
Tuesday, August 15, 7-10 p.m. • Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge
Call 518-226-5888. Quantities are limited.
Presented by Second chance Sports and The Learning League.
Properly identified licensed taxicabs in Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Be aware of the vehicle you’re entering.
The city issued the warning for summer visitors and year-round visitors alike after becoming aware of unlicensed, fake Uber and Lyft drivers picking up passengers from popular locations around Saratoga Springs.
“We strongly urge visitors and residents to verify the status of any vehicle they use,” said city Mayor Ron Kim, identifying Caroline Street, Siro’s and other popular venues near the racetrack as specific places where unauthorized vehicles are setting up shop – including some which have posted fake Uber signs in their cars and phony taxi markings on the top of their vehicles. “Essentially these individuals are people who slap something on their car and then pick up riders,” he said.
Those authorized to transport people include registered and licensed passenger services.
“Taxi drivers are required to maintain a current and valid Class E or CDL New York State Driver’s License,” said Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran. “Through the taxi licensing process, the city checks criminal histories, arrest records, driving records, warrant information, and enrolls taxi drivers in the NYS License Event Notification Service (LENS) program – so that if something happens, we find out about that individual and flag them or remove them from the road.
“Recently I had the opportunity to do an overnight shift with the police department and one of the issues they brought to my attention was: an overabundance of what I would call Gypsy Cabs, or unlicensed operators of taxi cabs,” Moran said. “The primary issue is public safety. People pretend to be a cab, yet they have no background checks, they have no insurance we know of. That’s a very dangerous situation. We don’t know who they are, and we don’t know where you could wind up. It is absolutely vital that you understand that you’re putting yourself at great risk.”
How to Recognize
Legit Services
There are certain clear signs that you’re in a legitimate taxicab. A licensed taxicab in Saratoga Springs is properly identified on the top and on its side with required signage and carries a medallion sticker. The 2023 medallion is maroon in color. Additionally, a ‘Taxi Passenger’s Bill of Rights’ must be prominently posted in each taxicab that does business with the city.
While ride shares like Uber and Lyft are not licensed by the city of Saratoga Springs, they are still legal operators as long as they’re registered with the rideshare company. As independent operators, drivers must follow the Uber and Lyft rules and regulations and passengers can verify both the vehicle and driver and establish a pick-up location.
“Rideshares Uber and Lyft are legal operators and sanctioned by state law,” Moran said. “They carry insurance in excess of what we require as a local municipality and there is direct engagement between an individual in your car when you’re getting a ride. You’re not handing money through a window and handing it to a driver. You shouldn’t be getting into a car if it’s not a direct assignment through a rideshare app, or if it’s not a taxicab that’s properly queued in front of a place, and properly marked.”
Wesley Community resident Paula Griffith (left) is joined by Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim (right) to celebrate her 109th birthday at The Wesley Community’s Embury Café on Friday, July 28. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Paula Griffith, a resident of The Wesley Community’s Embury Apartments, celebrated her 109th birthday on Friday, July 28 with a party at the Embury Café.
Griffith enjoyed lunch with family, friends and neighbors, and performed “Happy Birthday” on the Embury Café’s piano as part of the festivities. Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim attended the celebration and read an official proclamation declaring her birthday as “Paula Griffith Day” in the City of Saratoga Springs.
Griffith has spent the last 11 years living independently at The Wesley Community’s Embury Apartments, a press release states.
“Paula is a truly remarkable person and an inspiration to our residents and staff,” said The Wesley Community CEO J. Brian Nealon in the release. “Her vibrant personality lights up the room and it’s a pleasure to ring in this milestone birthday with her and her family. We’re proud to help incredible people like Paula continue to lead active, independent lives.”
Griffith was born Paula Doris Hamilton in South Glens Falls on July 29, 1914, the release states. Valedictorian of her class and a gifted pianist and singer, Griffith performed for local dignitaries at Grant’s Cottage at a young age and was a member of the Glens Falls Theatre Company. She earned teaching and music degrees at Fredonia College in an era when few women pursued higher education.
She married Watcyn Griffith and raised two children, Vance and Nancy, in Cambridge while teaching piano lessons and serving as choir leader and organist at the Cambridge Baptist Church. Later in life, she worked as an assistant in the pathologist’s office at Mary McClellan Hospital.
Griffith divided her retirement years between Cambridge and Saratoga, the release states, enjoying time with her family, watching the New York Yankees, sewing, reading and baking.
“I’m happy to be here to celebrate with so many people,” said Griffith in the release. “All I can say is to take care of yourself and the rest will follow.”
The Riggi Mansion, located at 637 North Broadway, captured in 2021. A pair of signs reading “Attenti al Cani” – attention/beware of the dog, at the entryway gates. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A project under consideration at the city’s Land Use Boards will see the demolition of a single-story building on Church Street to be replaced with a five-story building standing 61 feet tall that will house 23 condominium units and first-floor commercial space.
The existing brick structure at 78 Church St. currently houses the floor covering store Torrells Carpetland and was built between 1909 and 1926, according to the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. SSPF last week sent a letter to the city to say it does not object to the building’s proposed demolition.
The project applicant is SpringCity Development Group – a development arm of Bonacio Construction.
Palazzo Riggi Goes Up for Auction Next Month
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 20,000-plus square foot mansion on North Broadway known as “Palazzo Riggi” will go up for auction on Sept. 8. The list price is $12 million, nearly $6 million less than the $17.9 million price when the 6-bedroom, 7-full and 6-half bath home first hit the market last September at $17.9 million.
Owned by Michele Riggi, the mansion, built in 2003, includes two custom kitchens, four fireplaces, an elevator, home theater, personal fitness room with steam shower, and a bowling alley. There are 12 rooms in all regarding the Luxury Collection auction, as posted by listing agent Berkshire Hathaway Adirondack Premier Properties.
BALLSTON SPA — A Saratoga County jury has returned a verdict finding a Moreau man guilty of several charges in connection with the death of a 33-year-old tow truck driver last September that occurred on the Northway in the town of Wilton.
During a near three-week trial, the evidence showed that on September 15, 2022, Justin Rodriguez struck and killed Alex Bleickhardt on the northbound shoulder of I-87 between exits 15 and 16, according to a statement released by the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office.
Rodriguez was driving a 2008 work truck at the time, despite his driver’s license having been permanently revoked due to four prior drunk driving convictions. He also illegally possessed a loaded semi-automatic pistol in the vehicle.
Prior to the crash on the Northway, Rodriguez visited the Applebee’s restaurant in Wilton “where he consumed excessive amounts of alcohol and showed signs of severe intoxication,” according to the district attorney’s office. Despite pleas from citizens to not drive, Rodriguez, claiming he was not afraid to go back to prison, left the restaurant and proceeded to drive recklessly through the parking lot at a high rate of speed and entered the Northway where he swerved across lanes, according to witnesses. As he approached a disabled box truck attended to by Bleickhardt, Rodriguez made no effort to move over, slow down or avoid the collision and rear-ended the box truck, leading to Bleickhardt’s death.
Rodriguez’ blood-alcohol-content was 0.26% at the time of the crash, and additionally had cocaine and cannabis in his system, according to the district attorney’s office.
The jury verdict found Rodriguez guilty of three counts aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, two counts criminal possession of a weapon, two counts DWI, aggravated DWI, driving while impaired, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, reckless driving, leaving the scene without reporting property damage, and a violation of the Move Over Law.
The Move Over Law requires drivers to exercise care and safely move to an adjacent lane when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck with its flashing lights activated.
Rodriguez faces up to 25 years in prison on the aggravated vehicular homicide charge. Sentencing is Sept. 14.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — With its work completed, the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness is expected to provide a report to the City Council in early September, Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim said this week.
The ad hoc group was formed earlier this year to target solutions regarding a permanently placed 24/7 homeless shelter in the city.
“They did a lot of great work – they recommended the site, they recommended an RFP for us to consider, they’ve recommended financing options,” Mayor Kim said. “There’s a lot of story to tell.”
During its meeting Aug. 1, the City Council unanimously approved, by a 5-0 vote, a Local Law to set a 1,000-foot minimum distance between a homeless shelter and any primary or secondary educational facility. That 1,000-foot buffer would apply to daycare centers, provided those centers are part of a school.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — During its meeting on Aug. 1, the City Council approved a long-debated ordinance prohibiting intoxication or impairment by alcohol or drugs in a public place when in possession of a firearm.
The measure passed by a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Dillon Moran and Jason Golub, who each voted against the proposal, expressing general agreement with a majority of the ordinance’s components, but took issue with certain aspects of it.
“I think it’s a great idea as a piggy-back onto another offense – If someone is arrested for assault and you have reasonable suspicion that you can now search them for firearms or give them a breathalyzer,” Golub told the council. “But, to expect the police to identify those who are both drunk and carrying a firearm independent of another violation is a near-impossible exercise unless you want to violate people’s civil rights,” he said. “That’s my biggest concern.”
According to the ordinance, “intoxicated” and/or “impaired” is as defined by State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Wesley Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Wesley Community in Saratoga Springs, will host its annual Saratoga 9 & Wine golf fundraiser on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at the Saratoga Lake Golf Course in Saratoga Springs.
Registration opens at 12 p.m. with a shotgun start at 2 p.m. Golfers will receive a grab-and-go lunch and enjoy wine tastings along the course, followed by a Party on the Patio following the tournament. Guests who don’t participate in the golf tournament can purchase tickets to attend the Party on the Patio, featuring live music, light fare, tastings and complimentary beverages.
Saratoga 9 & Wine is a nine-hole scramble format golf outing with fun contests and a wine theme. Proceeds will support Wesley Health Care Center’s Life Enrichment Program. This 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.
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 Saratoga 9 & Wine can be purchased for $150 per golfer via Saratoga9Wine.com. Non-golfers can purchase tickets to attend the Party on the Patio, starting at 5 p.m., for a $50 donation.
ROUND LAKE — Saratoga County will hold a free Narcan training and distribution event noon – 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in the Town of Clifton Park – located at 2001 US-9, Round Lake.
Participants will learn how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer nasal Narcan, and will receive a free Narcan rescue kit, which includes two doses of Narcan, a rescue breathing face shield, a certificate of training, a drug disposal system, and a mental health and substance use disorder resource guide.
Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, is a safe medication that can save someone’s life by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. It only works on opioids, such as heroin, prescription pain medications and fentanyl, but it is safe to use even if opioids are not present. 911 should always be called after administering Naloxone. New York State’s Good Samaritan Law allows people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they are having a drug overdose that requires emergency medical care or if they witness someone overdosing.
Residents who are unable to attend the distribution can register to obtain an overdose rescue kit at www.saratogacountyny.gov/narcan.
