SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 23-room, 120-acre Cady Hill property owned by the late Marylou Whitney, and her husband John Hendrickson is up for sale.
The mansion measures 6,218 square-feet and was built in 1851. It houses 7 bedrooms, 7 full baths, 2 half-baths, 3 covered porches, a wine cellar, five fireplaces, a pool house with a heated pool and gym, as well as a chapel, tennis courts and rose gardens, among other amenities.
Also included are an office building, maintenance building, and two single-family ranch homes.
The property is located at 40 Geyser Road and was listed March 15 by Julie & Co. Realty. The price is $16 million.
In 1926 Cady Hill was purchased by Harry Payne and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. Upon the death of Harry Payne in 1936, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney purchased the property and Marylou joined him in 1958 as his new bride, according to Julie & Co. Realty.
Marylou Whitney, the Queen of Saratoga, died in 2019 at the age of 93.
For more information about the property, go online to: juliecorealty.com/property/40-geyser-road.
Purim Festival for youngsters of all faiths March 24.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Temple Sinai will host its annual fun-filled Community Purim Carnival from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 24 at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 50 Pine Road.
Purim is a holiday celebrating a biblical story about overcoming racism and oppression. It is traditionally celebrated with costume and revelry and has been called “the Jewish Mardi Gras.” It’s the biggest party of the Jewish year. Families and children from the community are welcome to join this program for youngsters of all faiths.
The event will feature more than 15 interactive games and activities, dance parties, a photo-booth, crafts, snacks and carnival games with prizes. A central feature of the Purim holiday is a retelling of the story from a special Hebrew scroll called a megillah- this year’s telling runs from 9:45-10:15 a.m. The story will be told in English, and will also include many of Temple Sinai’s religious school students reading from the scroll in Hebrew.
Wristbands for unlimited games and activities are $10 each. Popcorn, cotton candy, and beverages will be available for purchase.
For further information on Temple Sinai’s Purim Carnival, contact Sylvia Bloom, Temple Sinai’s Director of Education: educator@saratogasinai.org, cell: 518-409-1800
SARATOGA SPRINGS — All military veterans, including current and former active service, Reserve, and Guard service members are invited to learn more about the joy of choral singing in a “no audition,” informal setting.
The Saratoga Veterans Chorus is re-grouping to begin holding rehearsals on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, with the next rehearsal at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 28 at the American Legion Post 70, 34 West Ave.
There is no cost to participate in any chorus activity. Prior choral experience or ability to read music is not required. Lisa Edele, a retired music educator and choral director, is the chorus’s volunteer music director.
The chorus’s primary goal is to encourage veterans to enjoy the camaraderie of choral singing in a non-judgmental, supportive environment.
Founded in 2019, the Saratoga Veterans Chorus, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization providing veterans of the United States Armed Forces with competent vocal instruction and diverse singing opportunities. Supported by the Saratoga County Veterans Peer Connection, more information about the chorus can be obtained by contacting program coordinator Erin Cassidy at 518-884-4999 or by email at ecassidy@saratogacountyny.gov.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A conversation about the importance of physical activity for seniors and the resources available at Saratoga Hospital and the Saratoga Regional YMCA will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 at Saratoga Springs Public Library.
Panelists include Jill VanKuren, CEO Saratoga Hospital, Scott Clark, CEO Saratoga Regional YMCA, Robyn Haberman, AARP New York, Associate State Director for Community Engagement, and Michael King, Transportation Planner. Owner, TrafficCalmer.com
Saratoga Springs seniors looking to stay healthy and active as they grow older will find a wealth of useful information at the free panel discussion.
The event is sponsored by Saratoga Springs’ nonprofit Bikeatoga, will explore the resources available at Saratoga Hospital and the Saratoga Regional YMCA to support seniors who want to stay physically active and independent.
BALLSTON SPA — For U.S. troops serving overseas, getting a care package can be a bright spot amid difficult conditions. To help the local Blue Star Mothers of America fill and ship boxes to deployed military members who call the Capital Region home, Saratoga County Clerk Craig A. Hayner announced the seventh annual Yellow Ribbon Day Donation Drive.
The collection of individual-size personal care items and snack foods will run through April 7 and will be donated to the Blue Star Mothers of America NY-2 to put together and send “Freedom Boxes” to local troops serving abroad.
The donation drive is held in conjunction with the annual celebration of New York State’s Yellow Ribbon Day, which takes place April 9 and is designated as a day to honor active-duty troops and their families.
Donations can include non-perishable items like cookie and cracker snack packages, microwavable soup cups, fruit snacks, granola bars, and beef jerky, as well as personal care items such as insect repellent wipes, body wash (small), lip balm, puzzle books, and more.
Donated goods can be dropped off at the following locations during regular business hours:
• DMV offices in Saratoga County (located in Ballston Spa, Clifton Park and Wilton)
• Saratoga County Clerk’s Office, 40 McMaster St., Ballston Spa
• Veterans Service Agency, 2144 Doubleday Ave., Suite 15, Ballston Spa
• Saratoga County Hannaford stores
• Various town and village offices in Saratoga County (Call to see if your local municipality has a collection box.)
Monetary donations are also accepted. As a reference, it costs $18 postage to send each “Freedom Box.” The cost to fill one box is about $45, so a $63 donation covers the cost of filling and sending one box. Checks can be made payable to Blue Star Mothers of America-NY 2 and sent to PO Box 243, Delmar, NY 12054. Write “In honor of Yellow Ribbon Day” in the memo section. To donate through PayPal, go to www.paypal.com/fundraiser/hub and search “Blue Star Mothers of America-NY2.”
All items collected during the drive will be presented to the Blue Star Mothers during a Yellow Ribbon Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 9, at the Veterans Memorial, 162 Route 236, Halfmoon.
The Presentation “Unveiled: The Revolutionary Life of Crystal Eastman,” will be held March 25. Photo provided.
GLENS FALLS — As Part of Women’s History Month, the Crandall Public Library and Folklife Center are hosting author and scholar Amy Aronson at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 25.
The presentation will focus on the extraordinary accomplishments of progressive leader, Crystal Eastman, and why she has been a hidden part of women’s history.
Aronson will discuss her book, “Crystal Eastman, A Revolutionary Life,” and why Eastman, one of the strongest advocates and women’s rights leader is considered the most non-credited despite her pioneering legislation and long-lasting political change. Other presenters will address our current ERA status, NY Legislative Bill and the need to vote this year.
Crandall Public Library Folklife Center is located at 251 Glen St., Glens Falls. More information can be found at Crandalllibrary.org. The event is free and open to the public.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The city is inviting applications for the position of Carousel Worker in Congress Park.
The typical shift is 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and pay is $15 per hour.
Applicants must be at least 16 years of age to apply. No other minimum qualifications; however it should be noted that working weekends, some evenings, and holidays will be mandatory. Willing to work a flexible schedule. Name and date-of-birth of applicants will be checked through the DCJS Sex Offender Registry.
Applications are available on the third floor of City Hall at 474 Broadway, or online at: www.saratogasprings.org under Civil Service, or email civilservice@saratoga-springs.org to request one sent to you.
Joe Masher, owner and CEO at Scene One Entertainment, with hot buttered popcorn at Wilton on March 13, 2024. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
WILTON — Once again as it had once before, the fragrance of hot buttered popcorn roams the long halls of the Wilton Mall, welcoming all who enter with a familiar and comforting scent.
Four years after hosting what was thought to be its final screening, a multi-theater cinema has opened once again at Wilton Mall. The cinema features eight screens, including one large-format auditorium. All the auditoriums feature luxury leather rocking chairs, wall-to-wall screens, and Dolby Digital surround sound.
It is operated by Scene One Entertainment. Joe Masher is its owner and CEO. For Masher, formerly of Bow Tie Management, It is a return once again to a place he was charged with operating once before – this time in the role of entrepreneur instead of employee.
“It first opened on my birthday in 2013, so this one holds a special meaning for me,” Masher said, at a gathering staged March 13 to celebrate the cinema’s opening, in front of an audience that included local business executives, regional political dignitaries and members of the media.
Sen. James Tedisco recalled his own brush with the cinema world as a young man, working in the wardrobe department during the filming of “The Way We Were.” The film, starring Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand, was filmed in part in Ballston Spa and Schenectady in 1972. “I got fifty bucks a day,” Tedisco quipped.
The Wilton movie theater had originally opened in October 2013 by Bow Tie Cinemas and closed during the early on-set of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A return of movies in a mall might seem a challenging proposition of entertainment days-gone-by, but Masher – who also owns a cinema in Schenectady, said he believes in movie-going as a traditionally out-of-home American cultural experience. “And that’s not going to change,” he said, flanked by a cinema lobby with walls draped in the images of posterboard heroes – Ryan Gosling, Amy Winehouse, Emily Blunt, among them, collaborating with a visual variety depicting twisters, apes, ancient warriors, and next-generation robots.
“I just came back from a week in Los Angeles where I was part of a coalition that met all of the heads of distribution from various studios, and we were assured the film calendar is packing-in for the rest of the year and that we would have exclusive product that would be as “In Theaters Only,” said Masher, who grew up in Troy, worked several decades in the cinema theater industry in a variety of locations on the east coast. Now, he says, he has returned home to the region and has brought some members of “my old theater team” along with him.
“The theater is in fantastic shape and the mall has maintained it beautifully since its pandemic closure,” Masher said, adding that potential future plans include removing some of the rows in one of the theaters and inserting a stage where comedy shows and Open Mic nights can be held, as well as transforming a portion near the entryway into an authentic beer garden.
“Scene One Cinemas fulfills one of the most requested uses from our guests and brings the former theater space in the food court back to life,” said Wilton Mall General Manager Mike Shaffer.
The Wilton Mall has seen some large-scale changes in recent years, and more changes may soon be underway. In 2018 BonTon closed, followed two years later by the closure of Sears. In 2020, Saratoga Hospital set up its medical offices in a repurposed vacant space previously occupied by Sears, and a potential project under discussion seeks to develop nearly 400 apartments alongside the mall.
“I’m very excited with what’s going on at the Wilton Mall, particularly with the potential of the residential units coming in,” Masher said. The plan for that potential development continues to move through the town’s approval process. Developers will next stage a public appearance before the Wilton Town Board on April 4.
Arrests by Month in 2023, Saratoga Springs. and Crimes by Year, 2018-2023, Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — In 2023, members of the Saratoga Springs Police Department responded to 27,643 calls for all types of service – approximately 1,500 more calls than in 2022 – and generated nearly 3,800 cases that resulted in just over 850 arrests.
The Saratoga Springs Fire Department meanwhile responded to 6,990 calls for service in 2023, representing a 9.2% increase compared to the previous year.
The Saratoga Springs Public Safety Department on March 8 released its annual report for 2023. The 74-page report was submitted March 5 by newly elected Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll, and Deputy Commissioner Daniel Charleson.
In 2023, James Montagnino served as commissioner of public safety, and Jason Tetu as deputy commissioner. The police department concluded the calendar year with 80 sworn personnel, 51 of whom are currently patrol officers, according to the report.
Overall, the Public Safety Department includes a full-time Administrative Office Staff, a Police Department, Fire Department, Code Enforcement Division, Central Dispatch, Traffic Maintenance, Animal Control Officers and a Health Officer. There are approximately 204 full-time employees. An additional 14 part-time employees work as school crossing guards, vehicle traffic controllers, part-time traffic control maintenance and summer laborers at the traffic garage.
Police Department
The Saratoga Springs Police Department was created by an act of the State Legislature in 1887, when a staff of 8 worked out of a station that was formed as an annex to town hall. The current department resides in the same location and has expanded into additional portions of the building. Tyler McIntosh has served as chief of police since June 2023.
Among the department’s stated goals in 2024 is the development and implementation of a department Drone Program, which will enhance investigations and crowd-management capabilities.
Additional goals include: creating a Traffic Safety Unit, a Citizen Police Academy, and developing and implementing a comprehensive Wellness Program to improve members’ mental and physical health.
The department also reported it has acquired Flock License Plate Readers, which provides AI and machine-learning powered technology to reveal detailed information that may not have otherwise be available, according to the company. The LPR’s will be set in fixed locations around the city.
“This technological resource will provide invaluable data and leads for investigations that pertain to all sorts of criminal activity,” according to the report. “The ability to track, trace and analyze other types of evidence will be instrumental to the future of crime-solving.”
Calls For Service
In 2023, members of the Saratoga Springs Police Department responded to 27,643 calls for service. The most frequent call type was the traffic stops, which accounted for about 11% of all calls.
Officers generated 3,794 cases that resulted in 852 arrests. Comparatively, in 2022, the police department responded to 26,186 calls for service, and officers generated 3,933 cases that resulted in 821 arrests.
A consistent primary density for calls for service were in the area of Broadway between Caroline Street & Lake Ave. Secondary hotspots consistently observed were in the area of Union Street between Adelphi St. & Arthur St. as well as Hamilton St. between W Circular St. & Congress St. During the summer months, a consistent density for calls emerged in the area of the Saratoga Racecourse, and at the western portion of Saratoga Spa State Park in correlation with Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Of the 27,643 calls for service handled by members of the SSPD in 2023, 63 resulted in a use of force by SSPD standards. Those 63 resulting instances: Physical Force (40); Firearm Displayed (16)/ Firearm Discharged (0); Taser Displayed (5)/ Taser Deployed (2); Pepper Spray Deployed (0).
In 2023, city police responded to 998 reportable traffic crashes, down from 1,052 compared to the previous year.
Officers conducted 2,976 traffic stops in 2023 and issued 1,754 Uniform Traffic tickets – up from 1,686 tickets in 2022. Of the tickets issued 114 were for Driving While Intoxicated offenses, down from the 132, 135, and 133 DWI tickets issued for DWI offenses in each of the three previous years, respectively.
Reported Offenses
2023 2022
Rape 20 18
Robbery 12 11
Aggravated Assault 36 68
Burglary 41 75
Larceny 454 439
Motor Vehicle Theft 5 10
Kidnappings 5 6
Sex Offenses 18 22
Assault 388 381
Criminal Mischief 189 208
Drug Possession 73 82 Drug Sale 25 22
*Saratoga Springs Police Department – 2023 summary crime data submitted to DCJS. Report run Feb. 12, 2024.
Fire Department
The Saratoga Springs Fire Department has 84 full-time career fire officers and firefighters.
In 2023, the Saratoga Springs Fire Department responded to 6,990 calls for service. This represents a 9.2% increase from 2022. Emergency Medical Responses accounted for 4,911 of the responses. Alarm Activations – 644, Good Intent and other – 697, Hazardous Conditions – 147, Service Calls – 198, and Fires – 93, were some of the others. The 93 responses to fire were the highest number in any one year compared to each of the past five years.
The average response times, from dispatch to arrival in 2023, were 4:24 (downtown and eastside), 5:12 (westside), and 6:28 (I-87 East).
The year also saw the Saratoga Springs Fire Dept. hosting its first Recruit Firefighter Training Academy, in a joint effort with the cooperation of the Wilton VFD, Glens Falls FD and the Albany Airport FD. The Academy began in late March and concluded in mid-July with the graduation of 15 firefighters.
Fire Prevention and Inspection/Code Enforcement – In 2023, there were 1,963 total inspections, with 811 total violations.
Ambulance Report – in 2023, there were 5,398 emergency medical calls, and 3,900 transports. The fire department EMS revenues increased in 2023 as a result of placing a second ambulance in service on a daily basis. That ambulances transport revenue in 2023 was just over $2.9 million.
Station Three update: A project decades in-the-making, the report cites an approximate March/April estimated opening of the station based on Henning Road.
SARATOGA COUNTY —Congressman Paul Tonko announced his office has opened the application for Fiscal Year 2025 Community Project Funding (CPF) requests.
“Over the past several years, I’ve been proud to facilitate the Community Project Funding process through which worthy local initiatives can apply for federal funding that supports our communities and helps to grow our regional economy,” Congressman Tonko said, in a statement. “I am honored today to announce that Capital Region organizations and local governments can once again apply for this federal funding. Over the coming weeks, my staff and I will work tirelessly to review eligible projects and advance the proposals that best match the criteria and that—most importantly—will deliver the most significant benefits to our region.”
Under the FY 2025 application process, each member of Congress is limited in the number of projects for which they can request funding. Community Project Funding is only available to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. For-profit entities are not eligible to receive funding.
The application form, information on potential funding availability, and instructions on how to submit requests can all be found on the Congressman’s website at: https://tonko.house.gov/constituent-services/community-project-funding.htm.
Note that as full guidance for FY2025 CPF applicants has not yet been released, funding accounts and eligibility criteria are subject to change. While significant changes to last year’s guidelines are not expected, the Congressman and his staff will follow up with applicants regarding any changes to FY2025 guidance as soon as it is released.
