Shane Daley of Galway is alleged to have harassed the family of Brian Thompson, pictured here ( United Health Care)
A Galway man has been charged in federal court for allegedly harassing the family of Brian Thompson, a health care CEO killed in 2024.
Shane Daley, 40, of Galway was charged with cyberstalking after he allegedly placed multiple calls to a phone line used by a member of Thompson’s family. Daley allegedly made the calls between Dec. 4 and Dec. 7, 2024, with the first calls starting just hours after Thompson’s death.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Daley expressed satisfaction over Thomspon’s death and said his family and children deserved a similar fate.
“Daley threatened and harassed a grieving family in the immediate aftermath of a loved one’s murder,” Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said. “These selfish, harmful, and callous actions undermine public safety and will not be tolerated. This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will pursue and prosecute those who seek to intimidate victims and their families.”
At the time of his death, Brian Thompson was the CEO of United Health Care, one of two subsidiaries of United Health Group. United Health Care is one of the largest health insurance companies with over 50 million people served according to an outlook release by the company. In 2024, United Health Care alone brought in over $400 billion in revenue.
On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, Thompson was killed while visiting New York City. Luigi Mangione of Towson, MD was arrested and charged for the murder although he has pleaded not guilty and as of Aug. 13, a trial date hasn’t been set.
As for Daley, he was arraigned in Albany before US Magistrate Judge Daniel Stewart. If convicted, he will potentially face a maximum of five years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and term of supervised release of up to three years.
“The recurrent calls and messages in the days following Brian Thompson’s murder were more than callous and cold-hearted harassment – they were threatening and terrified a family already suffering following the violent death of their loved one,” Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the FBI said. “The FBI will continue to bring to justice any individual attempting to stalk and harass innocent Americans.”
Fire fighters in Saratoga Springs recently responded to a chemical spill at the Grande Industrial Park.
The spill occurred on Friday Aug. 8 around 4:20 p.m. and involved a chemical later identified by the Saratoga Springs Fire Department as copper sulfate. The fire department said the incident was isolated and posed no hazard to the public.
According to the fire department, the spill originated from a truck traveling to the industrial park and was first reported by an off duty first responder who noticed a blue liquid spilling from the truck heading North on Interstate 87. The fire department said that the responder had also contacted State Police regarding the matter. In addition, hazmat teams from Saratoga and Schenectady Counties were also requested on scene.
On social media, multiple people complained about eye and throat irritation around the time and area of the leak. The fire department said they first became aware of these reports when someone came into a station complaining of eye irritation which started in the area of the Grande Industrial Park, however, the department said they couldn’t confirm or assess the cause of the symptoms.
Copper sulfate is a compound comprised of copper and sulfuric acid which is used in a variety of applications, according to the National Institute of Health. Its uses include pesticides, dyes, medications, fertilizers and many others.
The chemical is considered an irritant with short term exposure potentially resulting in irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory system. According to NIH, first aid for these symptoms includes getting rest and fresh air if inhaled and washing impacted areas if one comes into contact with it.
Are you planning on running your sprinkler every day or washing your car this month? If so, then the City of Saratoga Springs is asking you to reconsider.
The city is implementing voluntary water restrictions on outdoor watering due to increased strain on the water system, lower than average rain and inadequate rain forecasted in the future. The public works department said the restriction was a precautionary measure to decrease water usage.
Under the restrictions, residents are asked to only run water on landscaping every other day based on their house numbers — with odd numbered houses watering on odd numbered days and even numbered houses watering on even numbered days. For example, someone who lives at house number 201 would water on August 13, 15, 17, 19, etc. — while some at 210 would water on August 12, 14, 16, 18, etc.
In addition, the city is asking all residents not to water or wash cars between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. due to increased evaporation rates which the city says can represent a loss of 30%.
The Department of Public Works said the restrictions do not apply to handheld watering devices, however, they did ask residents to ensure water remains on lawns and gardens and not on paved areas.
“Help from residents to conserve water will go a long way to preserve the reservoir levels until it’s replenished with some heavy rainstorms,” Department of Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall said. “This is a precautionary measure to reduce the volume of water being used for landscape watering and we appreciate the public’s cooperation.”
According to the Department of Public Works, the city’s water treatment plant pumped 5.2 million gallons of water per day in June and 6.6 million gallons of water per day in July, an increase from the 4.3 million gallons of water per day averaged in 2024.
Saratoga Springs isn’t the first jurisdiction to implement voluntary water restrictions. The Town of Ballston implemented similar water restrictions on July 16, and the Town of Charlton implemented the measures on July 17. In addition, the Town of Moreau issued a water restriction order on Aug. 12 — although this notice was due to repairs to the water supply in Queensbury.
The voluntary water restrictions come at a time when Saratoga Springs has seen higher than average temperatures with steady or below average precipitation. According to the National Weather Service, June saw 4.41 inches of precipitation, compared to the average of 4.18 inches while July saw 3.91 inches compared to an average of 4.24 inches.
Meanwhile in terms of temperature, Saratoga Springs saw an average temperature of 71.4 degrees in June, compared to the average of 67.2 overall, and an average temperature of 77.3 — the highest average temperature for July on record — compared to the typical average of 71.8 degrees.
Saratoga County will hold free Countywide Narcan training and distribution events on Tuesday, August 26th, 2025. A total of 29 events will be held throughout the day to bring awareness to overdose prevention and in recognition of the upcoming International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31st).
• Ballston Lake EMS: 1123 Ballston Lake Rd. Ballston Lake, NY 12019; 10AM-6PM
• Ballston Spa Police Department: 78 Thompson St. Ballston Spa, NY 12020; 10AM-6PM
• Catholic Charities – Schuylerville Office: 120 Broad St. Schuylerville, NY 12871; 10AM-6PM
• Clifton Park-Halfmoon EMS: 15 Crossing Blvd. Clifton Park, NY 12065; 10AM-6PM
• Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library: 475 Moe Rd. Clifton Park, NY 12065; 10AM-6PM
• Community Emergency Corps EMS: 519 Geyser Rd. Ballston Spa, NY 12020; 10AM-6PM
• Day Town Hall: 1650 N. Shore Rd. Hadley, NY 12835; 10AM-6PM
• Edinburg EMS: 30 N. Shore Rd. Northville, NY 12134; 3PM-6PM
• Galway EMS: 2175 Galway Rd. Galway, NY 12074; 10AM-6PM
• Greenfield Town Hall: 7 Wilton Rd. Greenfield Center, NY 12833; 10AM-6PM
• Halfmoon Fire: 315 Middletown Rd. Waterford, NY 12188; 10AM-6PM
• Healing Springs: 125 High Rock Ave. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866; 9AM-8PM
• Malta-Stillwater EMS (out of Stillwater Public Safety Center): 266 County Rt. 76 Stillwater, NY 12170; 10AM-3PM
• Mechanicville Senior Center: 178 N. Main St. Mechanicville, NY 12118; 10AM-4PM
• Meme’s Florist & Gifts: 118 Main St. Corinth, NY 12822; 10AM-6PM
• Moreau EMS: 1583 U.S. 9 Fort Edward, NY 12828; 10AM-6PM
• O’Brien Pharmacy: 4 Front St. Ballston Spa, NY 12020; 10AM-6PM
• Saratoga County Mental Health & Addiction Services: 135 S. Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 12866; 10AM-6PM
• Saratoga Hospital Community Health Center: 24 Hamilton St. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866; 10AM-6PM
Major road work continues in Saratoga Springs as the battle to not have dozens of potholes rages on.
Here is the paving update for the next week.
• On Monday Aug. 18, Elm Street from West Circular St to Washington St will be milled
• On Monday Aug. 18, Oak Street from Elm St to Beekman St will be milled
• On Tuesday Aug. 19, Walnut Street from West Circular St to Washington St will be milled
• On Tuesday Aug. 19, Bensonhurst Avenue from Division St to Washington St will be milled
• On Wednesday Aug. 20, Elm Street from West Circular St to Washington St will be paved
• On Wednesday Aug. 20 Oak Street from Elm St to Beekman St will be paved
• On Thursday Aug. 21 Walnut Street from West Circular St to Washington St will be milled
• On Thursday Aug. 21 Bensonhurst Avenue from Division St to Washington St 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 thru traffic until midafternoon.
On July 31, 2025, State Police in Clifton Park with the assistance of the United States Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), arrested Chuncheng Lin, 26 of Brooklyn, NY, and Hui Lin, 40 of Flushing, NY each for Grand Larceny in the third degree and Conspiracy in the fifth degree.
On June 30, 2025, at about 2:00 p.m. Troopers received a complaint from an elderly Saratoga County resident reporting they believed they were the victim of a computer scam. The investigation determined the victim was contacted on June 18, 2025, via computer and then by phone by an individual who falsely claimed they worked for the Citizens Bank Fraud Department, and threatened the victim with legal prosecution if they did not provide money in the form of cash and gift cards. For a week leading up to the victim reporting the scam, the victim lost more than $80,000 in cash and gift cards by means of extortion.
On July 31, the suspect re-contacted the victim and demanded another $30,000. Under the supervision of SP Clifton Park Investigators and with the cooperation of the victim an additional meeting was scheduled. Chuncheng Lin and Hui Lin, who are unknown to the victim, traveled from the Long Island Region to the agreed upon location in Halfmoon, NY. The suspects took possession of a package they reportedly believed contained $30,000 from the victim. At which time the suspects were taken into custody and transported to SP Clifton Park where they were interviewed by State Police Investigators and HSI Agents.
Both suspects were issued appearance tickets returnable to the Halfmoon Town Court on August 27, 2025, and released.
Saratoga Jewish Community Arts, with a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York and the sponsorship of Temple Sinai of Saratoga Springs, presents a panel discussion on Zoom of the independent American film Arranged.
The 2007 drama tells the story of a friendship between an Orthodox Jewish woman (Rochel) and a Syrian Muslim woman (Nasira), both of whom are new teachers in New York City.
Rochel and Nasira each dress “modestly,” but in different ways. One covers her hair, and one wears long skirts. Both live at home with their parents and siblings. Both grew up in cultures where arranged marriages are the norm, but in different ways.
It’s intriguing to follow the two women as they compare how their arranged marriages are organized, the differences and similarities. Both sets of parents had arranged marriages, and both marriages are shown as loving and supportive. Gradually, the young women realize how much they share: traditional lifestyles, modest dress, close families, and now arranged marriages.
Their startingly insensitive school principal doesn’t understand them, seeing only the clothes, and assumes neither woman has any choice in how she lives her life. He berates them, proclaiming, “There has been a women’s movement you know.”
While acknowledging the scorn the women face, the film concentrates on the characters’ similarities. It portrays how arranged marriage has many meanings, the motivation behind it, and what it can mean for the two different cultural worlds the women inhabit.
“Because others may not understand a culture does not make that culture immoral, nor should it make outcasts of those who live by its norms,” says Phyllis Wang, Coordinator of SJCA. “The commonality of all cultures, if only we listen to one another, is frequently friendship and family.”
The panel discussion will take place on Zoom on Sunday, September 7 at 7 pm. The film may be viewed in advance free on Hoopla and Kanopy (with public library membership) and is available for rental from Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services.
A trailer for the film is available at https://youtu.be/fP9tnjaXrDk?si=KVSWx1fblrWm8yUO,
The Sheriff’s Office conducted a training exercise Monday with the Autism Society Greater Hudson Region at the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office complex in the town of Milton.
The training allowed deputies to conduct scenario-based mock traffic stops with volunteer drivers to familiarize themselves with what they might observe during an encounter with a driver who is on the autism spectrum.
It also included an element where the drivers provided feedback to the deputies after the stop had concluded. Deputies also had the opportunity to integrate the Blue Envelope program into the exercises.
The program is a free service offered by the Sheriff’s Office that provides a blue envelope to drivers on the spectrum that they can hand to law enforcement officer at a traffic stop or other encounter that identifies them as being on the spectrum.
The envelope contains the driver’s license and other important documents and provides crucial information to both the driver and officer as to what they might experience during the stop. Importantly, it also contains an emergency contact for the driver. They are available by emailing sheriff@saratogacountyny.gov and putting “Blue Envelope” in the subject line.
“This was a terrific opportunity to see the traffic stop from the vantage point of someone on the spectrum,” commented Undersheriff Jeffrey R. Brown. “Our goal is to have a safe and efficient interaction and this training will certainly help us to do that.”
Trains: Left to right: Town Councilman Ty Stacey, Town Clerk Karen Dowen, Senator Jim Tedisco, Greenfield Town Supervisor Kevin Veitch, Historian Duane Cornell and Town Councilman Rick Capasso. (Courtesy of Town of Greenfield)
PORTER CORNERS, N.Y. – Town Supervisor Kevin Veitch was joined by other Town Board members and local legislators to unveil a National Historic Transportation Marker at the site of its railroad depot at Kings Station Park, 4000 State Route 9N, on August 9 during the annual Caboose Day celebration.
Town Historian Duane Cornell applied and received the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s Historic Transportation Marker Grant Program, which commemorates the historical significance of transportation in the United States. It is the first marker of its kind in Greenfield. The train depot was built in 1887 and served as a passenger and freight station until it closed in 1933.
Lumber, cord wood and grains were shipped out and goods for local stores were shipped into this station. The Kings Station train depot originally sat up the hill aside the railroad tracks but was moved to its current park location in 1933. It was restored in the 1990s when it was paired with a historic caboose.
The park serves as a landmark, as it sits between Greenfield’s main thoroughfare Route 9N and Porter Corners Rd. It serves as a reminder of the importance the railroad played in town history dating back to the 1800s, when it was used to transport summer tourists and to service the lumber and paper industries throughout the Adirondacks. The park comes to life each August with its Caboose Day, sponsored by the Greenfield Historical Society when residents gather to tour the facility in a festive setting with food, beverage and local vendors. Caboose Day was August 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We are pleased that our caboose is being honored in this way,” said Town Supervisor Kevin Veitch. “Historic markers help educate the public and build the pride we have for our special town. It is important for us to respect the history that made us who we are today.”
“At the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, we are proud to help communities across the country celebrate local history through our historical marker grant programs,” said Bill Brower, executive director of the Pomeroy Foundation. “The Kings Station depot is a meaningful part of Greenfield’s heritage and an important reminder of how transportation developments shaped the region’s identity. This new Historic Transportation marker helps preserve that story and highlights the town’s dedication to honoring its past. We hope it also inspires others to amplify the unique history found in their own communities with Pomeroy Markers.”
The William G. Pomeroy Foundation® is a private, philanthropic organization located in Syracuse, N.Y. In 2006, The Pomeroy Foundation offered multiple historic marker grant programs representing a wide variety of themes such as folklore, food history, and historic transportation. The foundation has awarded more than 2,800 grants for markers and bronze plaques in 49 states and Washington, D.C
The Town of Greenfield has two other markers from the Pomeroy Foundation, including one at the intersection of Middle Grove Rd. and Mill Rd. for Native American-craftsman Sam Hill and one at 272 Ormsbee Rd. that recognizes Revolutionary War Patriots who were laid to rest in Saratoga County. The new sign at Kings Park says “Built 1887 by Adirondack Railway for Freight and Passenger Service Station. Closed 1933. Restored 1990 by the Greenfield Historical Society.”
For the second week in a row, a haze fell over Saratoga County as wildfire smoke continued to penetrate the landscape.
On Aug 4 and 5 Federal and private monitors in the capitol region showed air quality index levels above 100 — making the air unsafe for sensitive groups — while some monitors in Saratoga County showed air quality levels above 150 — dangerous for all people.
With the continued downturn in air quality, Saratoga TODAY looked at what’s causing this problem and whether it will get worse.
What’s causing drops in air quality?
In the US, air quality drops have been associated with smoke coming from wildfires currently taking place in Canada. Smoke from fires over 1000 away from Saratoga has been travelling southeast, across the Midwest and into New York.
According to the latest situation report from the Canadian Interagency Forrest Fire Centre (CIFF), there are currently 737 active fires impacting the country. Of those, 504 are considered out of control with 199 receiving a full response and 305 receiving a monitored response.
Where are the fires taking place?
The fires are taking place largely beyond where most of the population of both Canada and the US would be directly impacted by the blazes. According to CIFF, most of the fires are taking place out west in the northern parts of Western Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. There are also clusters of fires in Canada’s Northernmost territories of Yukon and Northwest Territories, as well as out east on the island of Newfoundland.
A map of the wildfires in Canada. Red dots indicate a fire that’s out of control and receiving a full response, purple indicates a fire that’s out of control but being monitored, yellow indicates a fire that’s been held to a specific area and blue indicates a fire that’s been contained and in the process of being extinguished ( Courtesy of CIFF)
While Canada is the second largest country in the world by landmass, most of it’s population is clustered in major cities such as Toronto and Montreal in the east and Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver in the west, according to population maps from statistics Canada.
As a result, most of the fires are taking place far away from population centers. While there have been multiple evacuation orders in the provinces impacted by the blazes, many of these are primarily in small rural communities.
Is this normal?
Across North America, wildfires are a natural phenomenon. In Canada specifically, the fires serve to help a forest recycle debris and prevent build up, according to Parks Canada.
Fire is also one of the ways forestry services deal with wildfire conditions. As part of many forest management plans, agencies will start fires in what are prescribed burns, according to the National Park Service. These fires reduce fuel build up and allow an area to go through its natural processes in a more controlled way. Fires are even used locally in Saratoga National Park to help keep the battlefield in similar condition to what it was during the battle 250 years ago.
While fires themselves may be natural, the current conditions aren’t. Since 1983, when data on wildfires was first collected and reported in Canada, there has been only two fire seasons worse than the one currently being experienced — 1994 and 2023.
These worsening fire conditions have been attributed to climate change. According to Natural Resources Canada, because the air is becoming warmer and drier, wildfire seasons have been getting longer and more intense. This can be seen in drought conditions which show much of Canada experiencing abnormally high levels of dryness — particularly in areas currently dealing with the fires.
Canada has also had to deal with “zombie fires” or fires that lay dormant beneath the permafrost and snow for months before sparking back up when conditions are ripe for fires, according to NOAA.
How does this compare to the US?
Despite sharing a long border and working together on many wildfire responses, there are some notable differences between how the US and Canada experience and deal with fires.
The first major difference is human settlement in fire prone areas. In the US, settlement in wildland areas has gone up by nearly 50% in the last 40 years, according to a study funded by the US Forest Service. This number equates to 32% all housing in the US being in the wildland areas as of 2020.
Meanwhile in Canada, according to data from the Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 12.1% of Canadians live in wildland areas with an estimated 17% of those being in wildfire prone areas.
Beyond just having a lower population in wildland areas, Canada also has fewer fires started by humans. In the US, an estimated 85% of fires are started due to human interaction — be it accidental or due to negligence, according to the US Forest Service. Canada meanwhile sees the majority of their fires sparked by lightning strikes. In 2023 — the worst fire season on record — 93% of fires were as a result of lightning strikes with the remaining 7% caused by humans according to a study by Canada’s natural resource department.
What’s the impact on Saratoga?
In light of the of these fires, the New York Department of Health has advised residents to keep an eye on air quality levels and consider moving events inside — especially for those in high-risk groups.
“Poor air quality can pose serious health risks — especially for those with heart conditions, lung diseases, such as asthma, young children, those over 65 years old and pregnant individuals,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said “To reduce exposure, limit strenuous activity outdoors. We encourage all New Yorkers to visit airnow.gov for the latest air quality forecast and be on the lookout for Air Quality Health Advisories from the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health.”
