SARATOGA SPRINGS —Saratoga Hospital has been named one of “The World’s Best Hospitals 2021” by Newsweek—a distinction earned by just six hospitals in the state. Other “World’s Best” facilities in New York are The Mount Sinai Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian, and NYU Langone Hospitals, all in New York City; North Shore University Hospital on Long Island and Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

“The 2,000 hospitals named in this list—which covers 25 countries, including United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada —stand out for their consistent excellence, including distinguished physicians, top-notch nursing care and state-of-the-art technology,” writes Nancy Cooper, Global Editor-in-Chief for Newsweek, whose rankings appear in the magazines April 27,2021 edition. 

Saratoga Hospital ranks number 162 on the list and is the only community hospital in the state to make the list. 

“We are in great company, and it’s all because of our amazing team,” said Angelo Calbone, Saratoga Hospital president and CEO, in a statement. “Regardless of their role or department, our team members put patient care and satisfaction above all else. That’s what it means to be part of Saratoga Hospital, and the results are obvious—in the excellent care we provide, our investments in technology, and our emphasis on kindness and customer service with our patients, visitors and each other.”

The Newsweek ranking lists the best hospitals based on three data sources: recommendations from medical experts, results from patient surveys and medical key performance indicators for hospitals.

Saratoga Hospital was the first in the Capital Region to be awarded Magnet recognition for nursing excellence and has maintained Magnet status since 2004. The hospital also is a U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Hospital for 2020-2021. Last year, Saratoga Hospital received international attention for its research and success in demonstrating that community hospitals could use pooled testing for COVID-19 to save time, preserve scarce resources and improve safety for patients and staff.

For the full Newsweek rankings visit The World’s Best Hospitals 2021 at www.newsweek.com/best-hospitals-2021/united-states. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Approximately 120,000 Saratoga County residents – just over half the total county population – have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and of those more than 91,000 have completed the vaccine series. 

Those numbers match similarly to the percent of the vaccinated population in neighboring Albany, Schenectady, and Warren counties. Under that 50% threshold: about 47% of Rensselaer County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and about 38% in Washington County have done so, as of April 28.   

“We’ve reached the point locally where our (vaccine) supply is appearing to be greater than the demand. We’ve had some openings and that hasn’t happened in a long time,” said Saratoga Springs Supervisor Tara Gaston, who is also chair of the Saratoga County Health Committee. 

 “What we’re looking at now is: Where is the population that wants the vaccine, but hasn’t been able to access it – and what are the barriers? We’ve started working on some things – farm workers, migrant workers, groups like food pantry workers and those who just don’t have the time to find a spot and then arrange to go there twice,” Gaston said. 

“We’re also looking at whether a business or a certain community needs it, where are there 50 or 100 people.  We’ve done the stats from around the county and I’m working directly with the supervisors in those zip codes with the lowest rates. Do we need a POD (Point of Dispensing) in your town? Why aren’t people getting vaccinated and what can we do to get there?”

The CDC issued new mask guidelines on April 27, easing restrictions for people who are vaccinated. The CDC considers people fully vaccinated as two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. 

Following a thorough safety review, the CDC on April 23 determined that a recommended pause regarding the use of the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine in the U.S. should be lifted and use of the vaccine should resume. The pause was recommended April 13 after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals following administration of that specific vaccine.

In the case of COVID-19 infections, the greater Capital Region, as well as Saratoga County specifically, remain under 2% over a 7-day average of those tested. That infection rate peaked at about 10% in early January. 

Currently those aged 16 and over are eligible for a vaccine. Pfizer has asked for authorization for 12-to 15-year-olds, which may be an opportunity for a mass vaccination site, such as the City Center, which officials in the county had considered as a potential site, but which has yet to be used in that purpose. “That might be an opportunity for a mass site because obviously as many school kids as we can get vaccinated prior to the fall, the safer our schools are going to be,” Gaston said. 

Earlier this month, the Saratoga Springs School District announced a temporary pause of in-person instruction at the high school due to an increase in the number of positive reported COVID-19 cases. A total of 90 positive COVID-19 cases were reported at the high school in the 7-month period between Sept. 8 and April 13. By comparison, 26 positive COVID-19 cases were reported at the high school in the two- week period from April 14 to April 27. The majority of the positive case results were in mid-month, with only 3 of the 26 from April 21-27. 

To find available vaccine appointments at state-run websites go to: am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov. To find available vaccine appointment at other sites, go to: vaccinefinder.org. 

After meeting the fully vaccinated criteria, New York residents may sign up for digital proof of their being fully vaccinated via the New York State Excelsior Pass. For more information about the Excelsior Pass, see Saratoga Today’s story last week at: saratogatodaynewspaper.com/home/item/13457-summer-outlook-a-safe-reopening-states-debate-venues-post-protocols. 

At its meeting on April 28 the county Health and Human Services Department announced it had used nearly all $1 million authorized in March 2020 by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors to be directed to battling the spread of COVID-19. The current funds remaining – approximately $15,000 – are expected to cover expenses into May. The department estimated an additional $600,000 will be needed to cover new costs through July. Those funds may come via a county transfer. About $500,000 in reclaimable costs that were spent have been sent to FEMA and other entities for reimbursement, but there is no indication when that funding may potentially come. The department also announced it will not seek, at this time, to renew a $2,000 per-week contract with the Saratoga Springs City Center that was in effect in the possibility the center would be used as a mass vaccination site. The contract expires April 30.

BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors this week launched the Saratoga County Women in Government Leadership Program, an initiative designed to educate high school girls about with the functions and responsibilities of local government and inspire them to take on leadership roles at the local level. 

The program was launched by the three women on the Board of Supervisors: Jean Raymond, of the Town of Edinburgh, Tara N. Gaston of the City of Saratoga Springs, and Sandra Winney of the Town of Providence. New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul provided a recorded statement during the event, to help introduce the new program. 

“We need more women present in all levels of government, and there’s no better place to begin one’s public service journey that at the county level,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. 

The program, developed in coordination with Soroptimist International of Saratoga County, will engage participants on topics including setting goals, overcoming obstacles, and building confidence. Saratoga County government women in leadership roles will apply these lessons to their experiences in local government. 

“Representation and engagement lead to better communities,” said Supervisor Tara N. Gaston, City of Saratoga Springs. “These experiences and relationships gained will benefit Saratoga County, whether or not these young women end up in public service.”

Approximately 20 participants will participate in the first year, with selection based on an application including responses to short answer questions about what they hope to get out of the program and who they see as examples of leadership in their own lives. Applications will be forwarded to the Supervisors of their town/city, and each Supervisor will select one participant. 

Locally, dating back to 1990, four of the past eight city mayors in Saratoga Springs have been women, and the majority of the current City Council is comprised of women. 

The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) Women’s Leadership Council will work with Saratoga County to develop the program as a pilot that can be expanded to counties across the state. For more information about The NYSAC Women’s Leadership Council, go to: nysac.org/womensleadership. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —  The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has announced the return of the Historic Homes Tour. Join the Foundation and Honorary Co-chairs, Giovanna D’Orazio and Scott Peterson, virtually on Mother’s Day weekend, May 8 & 9, for the popular event that celebrates this community’s rich architectural heritage. 

This year’s tour provides the exclusive opportunity to see interiors of beautiful private homes and buildings, including spaces typically not accessible during an in-person tour. The virtual tour of the North Broadway neighborhood will be available throughout the weekend allowing viewers to experience these special spaces at their leisure. 

The Foundation has worked to preserve and enhance the architecture and rich history of our city for more than 40 years. The Historic Homes Tour is the Foundation’s largest fundraising event of the year. Historic Homes Tour tickets are $30 for SSPF members and $40 for non-members. Funds raised at this event support the Foundation’s efforts to preserve the unique architectural, landscaped, and cultural heritage of Saratoga Springs and ongoing educational programs.

For more information visit www.saratogapreservation.org or call 518-587-5030. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Capital Region Dance Alliance, Inc., an all-volunteer, non-profit organization of choreographers, dancers, teachers, students, dance advocates, and lovers of dance has announced its 2021-22 Executive Officers: President Mary Anne Fantauzzi, Vice President Mary DiSanto-Rose, Treasurer Gail Tassarotti, and Secretary Holly Livingston. Two new board members, Abigail Guisbond and Nicole Ravella-Hoffman, joined previous members Sarah DiPasquale, Anny DeGrange Holgate, Robin Gifford, Nan Guslander, Lydia Huibregtse, Sharon Sassaman, and Laurie Zabele-Cawley.

Guisbond  (was born and raised in Syracuse, and has been dancing for 20 years. She currently teaches ballet and pointe at Albany Dance & Fitness and Barbara’s School of Dance. She is also studying at SUNY Albany to obtain a Master’s in Public Health.

Ravella-Hoffman  is a native of Schenectady, and has been a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher for the past 15 years. She currently teaches hip hop, lyrical, jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary, and musical theater throughout the Capital Region. 

Founded in 1978, Dance Alliance has sponsored an annual scholarship for summer study, project partnership grants to nurture artistic excellence, collaborative projects with area arts organizations, and a variety of outreach programs including MOVE Dance, an all-inclusive hip hop dance program for teens, and Dancing Through Time for older adults.

For more information visit the organization website at www.dancealliance.org.

In our business as health insurance brokers, we often come across people newly enrolling in Medicare who request to be placed on the same Advantage plan as a friend or neighbor. When this happens, we often must slow the person down and remind them that, unlike group or employer health insurance, Medicare Advantage plans are individual. This means a plan that may work well for another person’s health circumstances may not be best suited for yours.

This principle is perhaps best illustrated when comparing drug pricing between Advantage plans. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees the Medicare program, classifies prescription drugs into five tiers based on their price, with the least expensive prescriptions generally falling into tier 1 and the most expensive into tier 5.

At this point, many people exclaim: “See, Medicare has done all the hard work for me! All I have to do is know what tiers my prescriptions are in and I’m all set!” However, this response does not consider the fact that CMS gives individual Medicare Advantage plans broad discretion over the tier they assign to a drug and any deductibles and copays they impose. In other words, a tier 3 drug on one Advantage plan could be classified as a tier 4 on another, with vastly higher deductibles and copays.

As an example, we recently did a drug comparison for a gentleman using two similar zero-premium Advantage plans available here in the Capital District. For the same prescriptions, we estimated that one plan would charge $164 per year while the other would charge $1,240, a projected annual difference of $1,076. Again, these projections were for the same prescriptions for the same person. 

So, how do you get a better deal when it comes to prescription drug prices? In our view, nothing can take the place of working with a knowledgeable health insurance broker who can walk you through all your options. To see if we can help you save money on your prescriptions, please contact Blue Chip in Saratoga at 518-584-8057 or visit our website at www.1bluechip.com.    

MALTA — Globalfoundries is relocating its headquarters to Malta, the site of Fab 8, the company’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility. 

GF has invested more than $15 billion in its Fab 8 facility over the last decade to support innovation and manufacturing capacity. In 2021, the company is doubling its planned investment to expand global capacity, with $500 million targeted for Malta alone.

“This is a huge shot in the arm for our Capital Region economy,” U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer explained during an event held April 26, announcing the company’s plans to relocate its headquarters. 

In a prepared statement, the company said the move to its state-of-the-art fab in New York is part of its commitment to address the soaring global chip demand, with a focus on semiconductor manufacturing innovation.

GF will maintain a substantial presence in Santa Clara, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, where many of GF’s leading U.S. customers and ecosystem partners are based.

“Today, GF’s Fab 8 in New York is a $15 billion advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility and one that is playing a key role in the transformation of our industry to meet rapidly accelerating demand,” said GF CEO Tom Caulfield. “Our amazing 3,000-person workforce, in partnership with our local, state, and federal leaders, will together build on GF’s success, solidifying the Empire State’s place as one of a few world-class semiconductor manufacturing hubs at a time when our national and economic security depends more and more on what we can make here at home,” he said. 

On April 21, the U.S. Senate introduced the Endless Frontier Act – a bill that would increase American investments in science and technology innovation and aims to strengthen the economy. When approved by Congress and signed into law by President Biden, Caulfield said GlobalFoundries stands ready by expanding in upstate New York and creating many more high-paying American jobs. “Our ambitious goal is to double our capacity at this site in the years to come in partnership with our customers, local, state and federal governments. We can do this.”

GF company employs more than 15,000 globally with 7,000 people across the U.S., and nearly 3,000 at its Fab 8 in Malta, New York. In 2020, the semiconductor manufacturer announced a land purchase option to provide additional flexibility to expand Fab 8’s footprint to support growing demand from the U.S. government and industry customers.

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore Kusnierz and Malta Town Supervisor Darren O’Connor said they were both encouraged by the announcements, which sets the stage for continued growth and expansion for GlobalFoundries in Saratoga County.

“This is a significant commitment by GlobalFoundries, which greatly reinforces the importance of Luther Forest, Malta and Saratoga County in their future expansion plans.  Given the rapidly growing worldwide demand for advanced semiconductors, we are very pleased that GlobalFoundries is letting the world know that they are committed to meeting this demand, and the center of that effort will be led right here in Saratoga County,” said
Chairman Kusnierz.

GlobalFoundaries is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, go online to www.globalfoundries.com.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs is losing another of its few remaining historic American elms.  One of the most majestic, and certainly the most visible, of the City’s elms died of Dutch elm disease last season.  Towering above the northwest corner of Broadway and Van Dam, where it has welcomed every visitor arriving from Exit 15, this tree is scheduled for removal soon by the City’s tree crew, perhaps as early as Saturday, April 24.   

Ironically, the removal of this titanic heritage tree coincides with Sustainable Saratoga’s Tree Toga planting event, when volunteers will plant 15 trees around town.  Saratoga once had hundreds of American elms, the most graceful and beloved street tree of them all.  The arrival of the Dutch elm disease midway through the 20th century wiped out all but a handful of these beloved trees. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A final draft document of the UDO was presented to the City Council this week. 

The UDO – a Unified Development Ordinance – is a tool combining traditional zoning and subdivision regulations, along with other development standards for items such as design guidelines, storm water management, signs and street standards into one, easy-to-read reference document. 

It is intended to eliminate redundant or conflicting code provisions and help streamline the review and approval process. 

The April 19 presentation effectively kicks-off the last phase of the project. Discussions will continue at the next City Council meeting, on May 4, after which advisory opinions will be requested from the city and county Planning Boards and the Design Review Commission. 

Additional public hearings will be scheduled later this year, after which it is anticipated the City Council will vote on the matter. 

The 304-page final draft UDO document is available for view at: saratoga-springs.org.