ADIRONDACK REGION — The brand-new 15th edition of High Peaks Trails, the flagship of ADK’s (Adirondack Mountain Club’s) comprehensive Forest Preserve Series of guidebooks, has just been released. The volume is edited by longtime Adirondack adventurer Tony Goodwin, who has been writing and updating guidebooks for over 30 years.

Since the 14th edition was published in 2012, 47,000 acres of Forest Preserve have been added to the High Peaks Wilderness Area. Its boundaries have been redrawn, and new regulations governing use of these areas are anticipated. The new 15th edition addresses the significant zone changes that have been implemented by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as new acquisitions, new trails, reroutes, restored and altered trailheads, and parking regulations.

This guide corresponds to ADK’s High Peaks: Adirondack Trail Map, and to National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated maps 742 and 746. Waterproof, durable, and tear-resistant, all three maps are available from ADK and at book and outdoor supply stores.

High Peaks Trails (softcover, 312 pages, 5×7”) is available for $19.95 ($15.96 ADK members) and $29.95 for the book-and-map pack ($23.96 ADK members). It can be found at book and outdoor supply stores, at ADK’s High Peaks Information Center in Lake Placid, online at ADK.org, or by calling 800-395-8080. Proceeds support ADK’s programs in conservation, education, recreation, stewardship, and advocacy. 

BALLSTON SPA — A 64-year-old Schenectady man was charged with Making a Terroristic Threat, a felony, in connection with an incident that occurred late Sunday afternoon in Wilton.

The man – Gregory L. Craig, is suspected of making a 911 call shortly after 4 p.m. on Feb. 28 and stating that he was “going to blow up the Walmart store” in the town of Wilton, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office.

The store was evacuated, secured, and swept by the Sheriff’s Office K9 units.

Prior to the threat, police said that Craig had been removed from the Walmart store for an unrelated incident. He was located a short time later on a public bus in Ballston Spa, attempting to return to Schenectady.

Craig was taken into custody without incident and arraigned by Judge J. Waldron of the Stillwater Town Court. He was sent without bail to the Saratoga County Correctional Facility and is scheduled to appear in the Wilton Town Court next week.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Hospital has submitted a sketch plan application for review by the city Planning Board with the goal of developing a medical office center on Morgan Street.

The preliminary plans include a medical office center that would allow Saratoga Hospital to bring physicians from offices throughout the city to a single location, where they could more easily collaborate on patient care. Equally important, because of the site’s proximity to the hospital, in emergency situations surgeons and other physicians could get to Saratoga Hospital in minutes.

“We have long believed that a medical office center is the best use of this last piece of undeveloped land adjacent to our hospital property,” said Angelo Calbone, Saratoga Hospital president and CEO, in a statement. “We look forward to bringing the benefits of more convenient, coordinated care to our growing community. This is the next step in fulfilling our commitment.”

The sketch plans also address the potential for future development, primarily in preparation for the required New York State Environmental Quality Review.

“Currently, there are no specific plans for future development,” said attorney Matt Jones, Saratoga Hospital’s land-use counsel. “However, to truly assess and mitigate the potential environmental impact, we need to look at the entire parcel. To do otherwise would be shortsighted.”

Saratoga Hospital owns the Morgan Street property, which was included in 18 zoning changes made in 2019 to align the city’s zoning map and comprehensive plan as required by state law. The realignment cleared the way for medical office use on the property.

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa voters will head to the polls March 16 to elect candidates to fill two trustee seats up for election. 

Bob Bush – a lifelong village resident and volunteer firefighter with the Union Fire Company, Mary Price-Bush, who has an extensive background in retail business operations and is employed at the Saratoga County Airport, and Sean Mulvaney, a volunteer firefighter who has worked for the Town of Milton for 13 years and owns a lawn-care business, have campaigned together to help raise awareness of the campaign issues they all support.

Mulvaney is an independent running under the “Vision to a Better Ballston Spa” affiliation. Bob Bush is running under the “Ballston Spa Visions” affiliation. Price-Bush is running under the “Unity in Diversity” affiliation.

Also running are incumbent Village Trustee Shawn Raymond, and Ben Baskin, who are running as part of a team with under a non-partisan A Better BSpa line.

Supervisor Phil Barrett – chair of Economic Development & Public Works, Theodore Kusnierz – chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, and Dr. Daniel Kuhles, Commissioner of Saratoga County Public Health Services, host a press conference Feb. 24, when they reported, to date, 36,324  – or 15.8% of Saratoga County residents had received at least one dose of vaccine. A total of 19,562 – or 8.5% of county residents had received both doses of the vaccine.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The city Planning Board this week looks to consider its review of a pair of proposed large-scale projects in Saratoga Springs. 

Applications under consideration include: a special use permit for a proposed mixed-use development at Excelsior Avenue & Ormandy Lane. The proposed Excelsior Park Project calls for 179 residential units and 147,600 square feet of non-residential uses.

A site plan review for a proposed 120-room hotel is also under consideration that targets 176 South Broadway. The proposed South Broadway Hotel will occupy a space currently occupied by the Turf and Spa motel. 

The Board is also anticipated to conduct a preliminary review of a proposed Top Dog Enterprises four-lot subdivision at 46-46A Seward St., and a final plan review for a proposed 15-lot conservation subdivision at 227 Kaydeross Ave. East. 

BALLSTON SPA — Primary Elections will be held June 22 and the General Election on Nov. 2.  Note: due to the outcome of the 2020 General Election, the political parties that now remain in New York State are Democratic, Republican, Conservative, and Working Families. If you were previously registered with the Green, Libertarian, Independence, or SAM party, you are now considered No Party (NOP). All registered voters are eligible to vote in the November General Election; however, No Party voters are not eligible to vote in any Primary Elections. The deadline to change political party affiliation has passed.

Among offices to be elected in 2021 are the following: 

SARATOGA COUNTY: Surrogate Court Judge (1), Sheriff (1), County Clerk (1), Coroner (1).

BALLSTON: Supervisor (1), Town Justice (1), Councilmember (2), Councilmember Remainder (1, Highway Superintendent (1), Receiver of Taxes (1). 

CLIFTON PARK: Supervisor Town/County (1), Supervisor (1), Town Justice (1), Town Clerk (1), Councilmember (2,) Councilmember Remainder (1), Highway Superintendent (1). 

CORINTH: Supervisor (1), Town Clerk (1), Councilmember (2), Highway Superintendent (1). 

GALWAY: Supervisor (1), Town Clerk (1), Councilmember (2), Highway Superintendent (1).

GREENFIELD: Supervisor (1), Town Justice (1), Councilmember (2), Highway Superintendent (1). 

HALFMOON: Supervisor (1), Town Justice (2), Councilmember (2), Highway Superintendent Remainder (1), Receiver of Taxes (1). 

MALTA: Supervisor (1), Town Clerk (1), Town Justice (1), Councilmember (2), Highway Superintendent (1). 

MILTON: Supervisor (1), Town Justice (1), Councilmember (2). 

MOREAU: Supervisor (1), Town Clerk (1), Town Justice (1), Councilmember (2), Councilmember Remainder (1), Highway Superintendent (1). 

NORTHUMBERLAND: Supervisor (1), Town Clerk (1), Town Justice (1), Councilmember (2), Highway Superintendent (1).

VILLAGE OF ROUND LAKE: Trustee (2). 

SARATOGA: Supervisor (1), Councilmember (2), Receiver of Taxes Remainder (1) 

SARATOGA SPRINGS: Supervisor (2), Mayor (1), Commissioner of Accounts (1), Commissioner of Public Safety (1), Commissioner of Public Works (1), Commissioner of Finance (1).

WILTON: Supervisor (1), Town Clerk (1), Councilmember (2), Highway Superintendent (1). 

BALLSTON SPA — The Board of Supervisors this week moved forward with details regarding the selling of the building on Woodlawn Avenue in Saratoga Springs, as well as approving the hiring of additional employees for the Public Health Department. 

The Board approved a resolution to hire a company to put up for auction the building it owns at 31 Woodlawn Ave. An existing lease of one floor of the building to Shelters of Saratoga for use as an overflow homeless shelter expires March 31. The auction is anticipated to take place online between April 6 and April 28. 

The county also approved funds for new hires for its public health services department. 

The measure includes the hiring of two Public Health Epidemiologists at the base salary of $73,127, and one Supervising Public Health Epidemiologist at the base salary of $83,444 – to investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury in humans, and to reduce the risk and occurrence of negative health outcomes through research.   

It also approved the hire of one Senior Public Health Educator to develop public health education campaigns, at the base salary of $59,522. 

The projected starting date is Jan. 1, 2022 and the county offered as its reasoning, the following: as the county moves forward through to the eventual end of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, Public Health Services is in need of strong epidemiology capabilities for data analysis, displaying data, case investigation and contact tracing. Funds for the new positions will be covered by the county’s fund balance. 

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-Saratoga, updated on the Board on the status of the COVID relief bill under review by lawmakers in the House. 

“The current COVID relief negotiations are ongoing right now. President Biden has put forth a $1.9 trillion package,” Stefanik said. “It does include state and local aid, which I support, but it also includes a laundry list of very partisan requests and priorities of Speaker Pelosi such as increasing the minimum wage, such as economic stimulus payments to illegal immigrants. I hope that there will be a bi-partisan package that includes state and local aid (but) that’s not the direction this administration is going.” 

Stefanik said projections are the bill would result in millions of dollars coming to Saratoga County and that “it will also include direct funding for every town, regardless of size.”     

 The House is anticipated to vote on the bill Feb. 26.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – A citywide vote to elect five council members and two supervisors is more than eight months away, but movements currently in play could have ramifications come November, and ultimately help play a role in the future direction the city takes.  

Of the five council seats, current city Mayor Meg Kelly – who has served two, two-year terms, and Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan – who has served five terms – have each said they will not seek re-election. Additionally, Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton recently announced she will seek re-election, but that she will do so as a “no party” member, after changing her party registration to no longer being an active member of the GOP. 

In a city that has, of late, grown accustomed to political incumbents, the prospect of political turn-over can result in a steep learning experience on-the-job, says former Deputy Mayor Hank Kuczynski.

“While it’s the same (commission) form of government, it takes some time for people to figure out their own roles, and then learn how those roles work together,” says Kuczynski, a Saratoga Springs resident who served in Ken Klotz’ administration and has maintained an interest in city politics. “The significance is that it looks like there are only (a few) incumbents who are going to run for office and possibly be elected – so there’s going to be a long learning curve. They’re going to be untested and inexperienced in terms of the process.”  

Another potentially intriguing aspect in this coming November’s election could come as a result of recent changes in election law that has altered the landscape involving a number of so-called minor parties. Voters previously registered with the Green, Libertarian, Independence, or SAM party, are now considered No Party (NOP).

The four political parties that now remain in New York State are Democratic, Republican, Conservative, and Working Families. While all registered voters are eligible to vote in the November General Election, No Party voters are not eligible to vote in any Primary Elections.

In addition to voters, candidates will also be affected by the changes. If a potential candidate does not receive the endorsement of any of those four existing parties, it would appear that several hundred signed petitions are required to secure an independent line on the ballot for the specific election.

To understand the value of third parties, consider the results of the Saratoga Springs 2019 elections, where the victors of three of the five council seats up for vote were largely aided by candidates holding lines in addition to those that they held in the Democrat and Republican parties.

Democrat Party primary winner Patty Morrison complied nearly 3,200 votes on the ticket for Finance Commissioner, but Michele Madigan ultimately emerged the victor after securing nearly 2,000 votes on the Working Families line, nearly 1,800 on the Independence Party line and several dozen votes on the SAM line.

In the Department of Public Works Commissioner race, Democrat Dillon Moran bested Republican Anthony “Skip” Scirocco 3,499 to 2,771, but Scirocco emerged as winner by adding 909 Independence Party and 419 Conservative Party line votes. And current Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton – who received 2,648 Republican line votes to Democrat challenger Kendall Hicks’ 3,401 – secured the council seat by adding more than 1,300 combined additional votes via the Conservative, Libertarian, Independent, and SAM lines.

Where candidates are concerned, there are now less party opportunities available for endorsement and to actually get on a ballot. They must now do so under either the Democrat, Republican, Conservative, or Working Families line, or go the independent signature route.

Voters registered in any of the previously existing party lines interested in enrolling in currently existing parties had until last week to do so. Eddie Miller, chairman of the Saratoga County Independence Party, was one resident to do so when he enrolled with the Working Families Party.   

In Saratoga Springs, there are 107 voters registered with the Working Families party line, according to documents requested from, and provided by the Saratoga County Board of Elections.  There are 71 members who were either registered with other parties or were unaffiliated with any party, who recently joined the Working Families Party during the past 12 months, according to voter enrollment documents.

Those 71 new members of the Working Families Party line came from various previous affiliations: 30 were previously registered Republicans, 17 Democrats, 7 Independence Party members, and a combined 5 members previously enrolled with the Conservative, Libertarian and Green party lines. Twelve had no previous party affiliation.  

The shift in enrollments may have ramifications leading up to the election season, Kuczynski explains. 

“What it does, is it controls who gets the nomination. It can either help select a candidate, or it can block a candidate,” he said.