The Saratoga County Sherriff’s Office announced the death of retired K-9 Bowe, seen here with his handler Sgt. Kevin Lacto ( courtesy of Saratoga County Sherriff’s Office)
It is with great sadness that Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo announces the passing of retired Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Bowe Sunday.
K-9 Bowe was certified in explosives detection, tracking and criminal apprehension. He served the residents of Saratoga County with his handler Sgt. Kevin Lancto from 2016 until his retirement in 2023. Since then, K-9 Bowe had enjoyed his well-earned retirement with Lancto and his family.
Over the course of his career, K-9 Bowe served the community in many ways. Most notably, he responded to numerous incidents involving suspicious devices and bomb threats and conducted countless protective sweeps for mass gathering events, schools, and local dignitary events. He also played a vital role in multiple criminal investigations and helped recover numerous firearms throughout his career.
On behalf of a grateful agency, Sheriff Zurlo extends his sincerest thanks to K-9 Bowe and asks that citizens keep Lancto and his family in their thoughts and prayers.
Two Separate incidents in Malta have brought the total number of animal abuse incidents up to seven.
Eugene Willis, 69, of Malta was arrested by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 28 after deputies received a complaint of animal abuse that morning. Willis wasn’t the only one arrested recently as on Sept. 2, the Sheriff’s Office arrested Ashley Ross for animal abuse and falsifying business records.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Willis allegedly kicked a black lab causing bruising and digestive issues. The dog and a brown lab found at the residence were seized by the Malta animal control officer. They were transported to the Saratoga County Animal Shelter and received medical treatment.
Ross’s case, meanwhile, stems from an incident that occurred Aug. 16 when she surrendered a pit bull to the Malta animal control officer. At the time of the surrender, Ross claimed the dog hadn’t bit anyone in the last 10 days, however the Sheriff’s Office said that the dog had bitten someone the previous day. In addition, the dog had bitten another pit bull at the residence causing an injury for which Ross failed to get treated. That dog has been transported to the Saratoga County Animal Shelter and is receiving treatment.
Both Willis and Ross were released on appearance tickets for their respective offenses.
Willis and Ross’ cases represent the sixth and seventh cases of animal abuse this year in Saratoga County. Last month, two people were arrested in Malta for abusing three dogs while there have been several high-profile cases across the county. Their charges bring the total 203rd misdemeanor count brought against residents by Sheriff’s Office.
In response to these incidents, The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors proposed legislation to create a registry of animal abusers and held a public hearing on the bill Sept. 10 — coverage of which can be found at saratogatodaynewspaper.com.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A mother cat and her five kittens need new homes after they were discovered behind the Impressions of Saratoga store on Broadway. Those interested in adding a furry feline friend to their home can contact Kitten Angels at 838-292-5680.
The six cats, dubbed the Phila Felines, were found in late August by Jason Thomas, a local realtor who noticed a cat in the alley behind the Impressions building on Phila Street. Thomas called Kitten Angels, a local cat rescue group, to help catch the cats and get them to safety.
When Tom and Kristie Roohan of Roohan Realty were told about the cats, they offered to pay for vetting, a welcome gift for Kitten Angels, a small organization that relies solely on donations. After getting checked out by vets, all six kitties are now being fostered by members of the Impressions of Saratoga crew.
To keep with the Phila Feline theme, each cat has been named (at least temporarily until they’re adopted) after a business on Phila Street. Since there are six ladies, their names are Phila (mother cat), Hattie, Lena, Mimi, Magic, and Bailey.
Impressions will be posting Phila Feline photos and updates on social media, and all funds donated to the coin drops at both Impressions of Saratoga and The Dark Horse Mercantile will be given to the Kitten Angels to help offset the cost of care.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — RentRedi—an all-in-one property management software co-founded by longtime Saratoga resident Ed Barone—has made the Inc. 5000 list for the second consecutive year. The list ranks the fastest-growing private companies in America.
RentRedi debuted at No. 180 in 2024. This year, it’s ranked No. 71 nationally among software companies and No. 58 in the state of New York.
Barone co-founded RentRedi with his son Ryan after Ryan began building an app for his college friends to store documents needed to apply for rentals. When Ryan and his friends used the app, landlords began telling Ryan they could use a similar app to help them manage their properties instead of relying on paper, pens, and spreadsheets. That’s when RentRedi was born.
“It’s incredibly meaningful to see the company we started make the Inc. 5000 for the second year in a row,” said Ed Barone. “From the beginning, our vision was to build intelligent technology that sets smart landlords up for success while also improving the rental experience for tenants. I’m proud to have helped build a team whose big ideas and determination are making a national impact. At the end of the day, everything we do at RentRedi comes back to helping people build a better financial future—and that’s what drives me every day.”
A Saratoga Springs man and two minors have been arrested after a police chase across Saratoga and Albany Counties.
Eugene Shaw, 21 was arrested for criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, two counts of fourth degree criminal mischief, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment of property and other traffic violations, according to New York State Police.
The chase occurred Sept. 6. It started at 6:18 p.m. when a vehicle was reported stolen from Freeman Lane in Saratoga Springs. Within 10 minutes, the vehicle was spotted going southbound on I-87 in Malta. State Police as well as Deputies from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop the vehicle, leading to the chase.
The chase ended in Albany County when State Troopers elected to terminate pursuit due to public safety concerns. After the pursuit ended, the vehicle exited the interstate at exit six but didn’t make it far. Troopers said Shaw attempted to make a left turn onto Troy Schenectady Road but lost control of the vehicle and flipped over multiple times before coming to rest on the overpass.
Shaw, along with a 12- and 15-year-old exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot but were taken into custody. All three were taken to Albany Medical Center for evaluation. The two minors were arrested Sept. 8 for fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property.
After being released from the hospital, Shaw was taken into custody and issued an appearance ticket for Sept. 25.
The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that State Route 32 in the Village of Schuylerville, Saratoga County, will close to through traffic between Wilbur Road and Dodd Road for approximately eight weeks beginning Monday, September 8, to facilitate a culvert repair project.
During the closure, all properties and businesses in the closure area will remain accessible to residents and emergency responders. Drivers are advised to follow the signed detour route utilizing State Route 4.
Motorists should anticipate travel delays and build extra travel time into their schedule. Construction activities are weather dependent and subject to change based on conditions.
Flight-Medic Kevin Robert died while treating a patient. He was 55. (Courtesy of LifeNet)
First responders across Saratoga County are mourning one of their own this week after a flight medic suffered a fatal heart attack while treating a patient.
Kevin Robert died Aug. 27 after he suffered a heart attack while treating a patient on board a LifeNet 7-13 helicopter, based out of Ticonderoga. The helicopter diverted to Saratoga Hospital however medical crews were unable to revive Robert. He was 55.
“Our priority now is the well-being of our teammates and the continued support of Kevin’s family,” LifeNet said in a Facebook post. “The Ticonderoga base remains on safety stand-down as we allow our team the time and space they need to grieve.”
Robert had been with LifeNet for 15 years, according to his obituary. In addition to his work as a flight medic, he was a founding member of the John Ahearn Rescue Squad in Mechanicville and served in several EMS agencies throughout Saratoga County including the Clifton Park & Halfmoon Emergency Corps, Malta- Stillwater EMS and as a paramedic instructor at Hudson Valley Community College.
Tributes to Robert have poured in from across the county and beyond. In a statement, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Phillip Barrett offered his condolences and said Robert served the county with professionalism and compassion. Similar sentiments were expressed by Clifton Park and Halfmoon Emergency Corps who said he was known for being one of the most talented EMS providers across the region.
Services for Robert were held at St. Edward the Confessor Church in Clifton Park. A Go Fund Me has been set for his family, which as of time of printing has raised over $17,000.
Those looking to donate can find the link in the online version of this story or on the Malta-Stillwater EMS Facebook page.
From left to right: Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus, Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association President Deann Devvit, Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall and Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri celebrated the end of paid parking (Photo credit, see byline)
While the horse racing season may have ended the previous day, residents of Saratoga Springs still heard the famous call one more time.
It didn’t come from a race announcer at the track but rather Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall who said the famed line while putting a sign on a parking meter marking the end of the paid parking season in Saratoga Springs.
Marshall, along with representatives from the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association and Discover Saratoga highlighted the changes in a media event outside the Woodlawn Avenue Garage.
The event marked the end of program’s second year. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, visitors to Saratoga Springs could either park on the street for free or pay $2 an hour to park in one of the city’s parking garages or flat parking lots. For those parking overnight, the fee was $12.
Todd Shimkus, President of the Saratoga Chamber, talked about how things have changed with the parking situation over the last 15 years. While in the past, Shimkus said the complaint had been there hadn’t been enough parking in Saratoga Springs, the city has changed that.
“I got emails all summer and in the holiday season from folks around the world who complained about not enough parking,” Shimkus said. “Right here, we’ve got 450 more spaces. You look over at the city center, we’ve got 500 more spaces there. I don’t get those emails and calls anymore. We have enough parking. So, parking for us is really about whether it’s paid or not.”
The paid parking program hasn’t been without its critics. During his campaign, Commissioner Marshall voiced his opposition to the program and maintained that opposition during Tuesday’s event.
“I ran originally as an opponent of paid parking, and I remain an opponent of paid parking,” Marshall said. “We’re looking at revenues now that look to not quite meet the budgeted expectation, but certainly more than they’ve seen in the past. We’ll evaluate, and reconsider as we develop the 2026 budget.”
From Labor Day till Memorial Day, residents and visitors won’t risk a $45 ticket if they don’t pay for parking at the city’s lots and garages (see byline)
In a recent City Council meeting, Marshall had proposed ending the paid parking program two days early; however, that proposal failed with all other members voting against it.
Marshall said that the program had been budgeted to bring in $465,000 in revenue but that actual revenues from the program were just over $400,000. This lack of projected revenue has led to some changes in how the money is distributed, according to Marshall. Deann Devitt, President of the Downtown Saratoga Business Association echoed this and said her organization had been working with the city on alternate strategies.
“Obviously, revenues haven’t been where the city wanted them to be,” Devitt said “The idea of that was to take some of the revenues to put into marketing our downtown. But it hasn’t worked out, so we’ve worked with Chuck to come up with some other really great opportunities for us.”
Some of those ideas include using the revenue for Christmas decorations and covering fees for events.
While paid parking may be gone for most of the city’s lots, there are two notable exceptions. Parking at the library will still require a library-issued permit and parking at the City Center garage will still require payment.
While the paid parking program may face changes in the coming months, Marshall emphasized that for now residents can enjoy over 260 days of free parking in the city.
“Free public parking until Memorial Day of 2026,” Marshall said. “I hope everyone enjoys downtown and all it offers.”
It’s the end of track season which means that one of the biggest headaches, drivers from New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts, is mostly gone.
That said, there will still be delays as the city continues its efforts to fix the damage they’ve potentially caused and take away one of their excuses when they inevitably crash.
With that in mind, here is paving update for the week of September 8.
• On Monday Sept. 8, Lakewood Drive from Lake Ave to Roberts Ln will be milled.
• On Monday Sept. 8, Pine Ridge Lane from Lakewood Dr to Wedgewood Dr will be milled.
• On Monday Sept. 8, Stonewood Drive from Longwood Dr. to Lakewood Dr will be milled.
• On Tuesday Sept. 9, Longwood Drive from Lake Ave to #14 Longwood Dr will be milled.
• On Tuesday Sept. 9, Lefferts Street from Forest Ave through the dead end will be milled.
• On Wednesday Sept. 10, Lakewood Drive from Lake Ave to Roberts Ln will be paved.
• On Wednesday Sept. 10, Pine Ridge Lane from Lakewood Dr to Wedgewood Dr will be paved.
• On Wednesday Sept. 10, Stonewood Drive from Longwood Dr. to Lakewood Dr will be paved.
• On Thursday Sept. 11, Longwood Drive from Lake Ave to #14 Longwood Dr will be paved.
• On Thursday Sept. 11, Lefferts Street from Forest Ave through the dead end will be paved.
Work will begin at 6:00 a.m. and should be completed by 4:00 p.m. There is no parking of cars on the street during these hours, and driveway access/egress will be limited with potentially lengthy delays. On the day of paving, the road will be closed to all through traffic until midafternoon.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – The City of Saratoga Springs invites all to a 9/11 Commemoration and Remembrance Ceremony at High Rock Park, 112 High Rock Avenue, Saratoga Springs, on Thursday, September 11, 2025 at the Tempered by Memory Sculpture.
Comprised of five pieces of twisted steel from the 2001 terrorist attacks, the Tempered by Memory sculpture was created by Noah Savett in collaboration with John Van Alstine.
Please arrive at 8:15 am. The ceremony will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m.
