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.”
A parking meter on the Putnam Street Parking Deck ( Thomas Dimopoulos)
Roads and parking were two of the main focuses of this week’s Saratoga Springs City Council meeting.
The council considered a bill that would suspend seasonal parking fees for two days and held it’s first hearing on a bill that would reduce the speed limit in the city from 30 to 25 mph.
These were just two of the items on the agenda for the city this week. Here is a rundown of major events and happenings from City Council.
Parking bill fails to pass.
A proposal to give residents and visitors two days of fee-free seasonal parking failed to gain traction in city council.
The bill was designed to promote economic activity and support businesses downtown. Under the bill, two days would be selected by the Commissioner of Public Works to have no fees on parking in city owned garages and surface lots.
Commissioner of Public Works, Chuck Marshall proposed the bill because he didn’t expect the paid parking program to reach its anticipated financial goals and he wanted to give two days back to the business community.
Marshall has consistently been opposed to the paid parking program and argued that since they’re not going to get their promised revenue from the program, then the program should be temporarily suspended to incentivize people to stay in the downtown area particularly after major events such as shows at SPAC or important races at the track.
When presented before City Council, the proposal met stiff opposition from other council members. Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran argued that cutting off revenue was financially unsound while Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll wanted a full year to review the program and its impact on the city.
Ultimately, these concerns won out as the measure failed to pass by a vote of 3-1 with Coll, Moran and Mayor John Safford opposing the measure and Marshall supporting it.
Residents voice opinions on proposed drop in speed limit.
A Proposal to reduce the city’s speed limit to 25 mph held it’s first public hearing this week. The measure has been proposed by Public Safety Commissioner Coll in order to make the streets of Saratoga Springs safer.
Before the public got a chance to speak, a presentation was made by Safe Streets outlining how reducing the speed limit would reduce traffic injuries without significantly increasing travel times. According to Safe Streets, accidents at 20 mph had a 90% survival rate while accidents at 40 mph had a 100% survival rate. At the same time, the mile time from 30 mph to 25 mph was only reduced by 24 seconds.
The proposed speed limit reduction had widespread support from members of the public. The first speaker, a young boy who said he rides his bike and walks around the city, argued that a slower speed limit would make the roads safer for kids like him. The boy received a round of applause from council members and audience members, and his views were echoed by other speakers.
Many argued that the speed limit had to be reduced and also urged more enforcement of the speed limits both new and current.
The ordinance is set to be voted upon on a later date as city council members wanted to ensure proper time for consideration.
Public hearing set to remove jail time for 39 offenses.
A public hearing has been set on a proposed ordinance that would remove jail time for 39 different municipal offenses.
The proposal, which is coming from the mayor’s office, comes at the urging of Assistant City Attorney Tony Izzo who said that in his 40 years working for the city, there has only been one instance where he can recall someone went to jail for violating city ordinances.
The Lemonade stand packed the streets as people of all ages came out to support the family of Ollie Seymore (Aidan Cahill)
A local group is working to help raise money for a family dealing with childhood leukemia — one glass of lemonade at a time.
On Aug. 2, the area outside the Ribbon café in Ballston Spa was closed to vehicle traffic as residents came together around a lemonade stand to raise money for the family of Oliver Seymore — known as Ollie.
The event was organized by Ballston Spa Sunshine Kids, a local group who puts together a yearly lemonade stand to benefit a local family dealing with illness. Co-organizer Patricia Stevenson said the group started as just two families in the Ballston Spa community looking to help others.
“Every year, we’re usually trying to find somebody that we can donate to,” Stevenson said “This year, Kate found his family along with the owner of the Ribbon Cafe, and he just wanted to be able to help. Obviously, childhood cancer is something that, not only is very difficult for the child but affects the whole family, affects the family’s ability to work, to be able to support their family.”
As for this year’s recipient, Stevenson said Ollie was diagnosed on the day after Christmas last year and has been battling the disease ever since.
During the May 2 event, the block outside the Ribbon Café was packed with local organizations. Representatives from the Lions Club, Brookside Museum and other organizations were there while a local wrestling team set up a dunk tank, local race teams showed off their cars and the fire fighters from Ballston Spa showed off their gear. There was also a bouncy house set up for kids to play in.
Ollie was diagnosed with childhood cancer the day after Christmas. The lemonade stand has so far raised over $12,000 for his ( Courtesy of the Ballston Spa Sunshine Kids)
Stevenson thanked the community for coming out and for raising awareness about the family.
“One of the beautiful things that we’re just very blessed with every year to see how the community comes together,” Stevenson said “They’re volunteering their time and their services so that they can make this more of a family event, because this is about helping a child.”
As of Aug. 6, the lemonade stand has raise over $12,000 to help Ollie’s family. Stevenson said the money is used however the family sees fit — whether it be medical bills, groceries or just being able to spend time together.
Those still looking to donate can do so via their go fund me.
A Wilton man has been found dead from a motorcycle crash in Corinth.
Jarod Green, 32, was found in a wooded area at the intersection of Fuller Road and County Road 24, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. He had been reported missing on Sunday Aug 3 at 11:10 a.m. Green was last seen leaving the Star Bar in Corinth.
According to deputies, Green failed to negotiate a curve in the road and struck several trees after leaving the road. He was pronounced dead on the scene. The intersection where Green was found was about two miles from the bar, on the same street. Deputies said they found the wreck after tracing routes of travel from the bar.
The investigation is still active at this time, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
BALLSTON SPA – The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee today advanced a proposed local law to create a countywide animal abuse registry.
The local law will establish an online registry for individuals who are convicted of animal abuse and neglect crimes and empowers the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office to maintain the registry and promulgate any necessary rules and regulations for its implementation.
“Despite numerous state laws criminalizing animal abuse and neglect, we continue to see disturbing cases in Saratoga County. Creating a countywide animal abuse registry is a vital step in protecting vulnerable animals and holding abusers accountable,” Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Phil Barrett (Clifton Park) said “By identifying abusers and preventing them from adopting, purchasing, or otherwise obtaining animals, we can reduce the risk of repeated cruelty cases and provide a resource for shelters, breeders, and rescue groups seeking homes for animals.”
“An animal abuse registry is more than a tool for protecting pets – it’s a commitment to public safety that benefits both community members and animals,” Public Safety Committee Chair Supervisor John Lant (Wilton) said, “It’s well known that animal cruelty often is a sign of deeper violent tendencies, so when we take a stand against animal cruelty, we send a clear message that violence in any form will not be tolerated in Saratoga County.”
“My conversations with Chairman Barrett and Supervisors have been encouraging,” said Brett Eby, animal abuse registry advocate and candidate for Saratoga County District Attorney “I am thrilled about their support for the implementation of an animal abuse registry. I vow to do whatever I can to support and implement this important measure to provide additional protections for our animals in Saratoga County.”
The law will require Saratoga County residents age 18 and older who are convicted of animal abuse and neglect crimes to register with the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office within ten days following their date of conviction or release from incarceration and within ten days of any residential move. The individual will remain on the registry for 15 years following his or her first conviction of an animal abuse or neglect crime and will remain on the registry permanently if convicted for any subsequent animal abuse or neglect crime.
The registry will include the individual’s name, any known aliases, address, and photograph. In addition to being publicly available online, the registry will be shared with the Saratoga County Animal Shelter, Saratoga County Child Protective Services, and Saratoga County Department of Social Services.
The law will also require individuals to pay $100 to the County of Saratoga at the time of registration. Any person required to register who fails to do so shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of $100 to $250 or imprisonment for up to 15 days or both. Fees collected will offset the administrative costs of maintaining the registry.
The proposal will move to the Law & Finance Committee before going before the full Board at its August 19, 2025, meeting. Once passed by the Board of Supervisors, the act shall take effect on the 90th day immediately after filing in the Office of the Secretary of State. To read the proposed Local Law, please view the Public Safety Committee’s August 6, 2025, Agenda.
“I’ve had him for about six months,” Robert Falcone Jr. of Falcone Jr. Racing tells me when we meet at Barn 32 to get a look at Bourbon, his therapy pony. He’s adorable. And very friendly!
Bourbon is the resident therapy pony for the 18 horses Falcone trains, visiting when they are anxious and calming them down with unique social skills that were once associated more with dogs. I make the mistake of asking if I can see Bourbon interacting with some of the horses while I’m there. Robert gently corrects the notion. “No,” he says, shaking his head. “Bourbon comes out to be with the horses if they are riled up and nervous about something. Look around the barn now,” he opens his arms and waves towards the horses in their stalls, chomping on bales of hay, peeking out to see who I am. “See how calm they are? Everyone is good at the moment, I’d disrupt things if I brought the pony out now.”
Falcone shares that his lifelong love for horses led him to the track at an early age, and that he worked under Dominick Schettino while still in school, before taking over the training of horses belonging to his father, Robert Falcone Sr., at the age of 20.
“I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t thinking about horses,” Robert smiles as he looks down the expansive barn, nodding at people walking by. I ask him about a big teddy bear hanging from one of the stall’s doorways. “What’s that all about?” I ask him, remembering teddy bears from my childhood, how I’d hug them and gain some comfort when I was upset. I’m not surprised when he explains that the stuffed animal is a support friend to the horse there.
“I made my start at Belmont with a few horses my father owned. My stable has grown since then, and my client list is a robust one.” Robert names a few of the eighteen horses he works with now: Nilos Rose, Bint Al Dandy, Cristobal, Castle Chaos, and Commuted are just a few. “They are all so different,” he tells me. “And our training approach is hands-on, where we can and do prioritize each horse’s health and well-being.” In Falcone’s program, proper nutrition, specific conditioning routines, and mental/emotional stimulation are paramount.
“Where will Bourbon go after the Saratoga meet?” I ask, gazing at the friendly pony who lets me get close to pet her. “She follows us – after here, we’ll head back to Belmont.” Robert has a highly competitive stable on the East Coast Circuit. He trains at Belmont, Saratoga, Monmouth Park, Keeneland, Fairgrounds, and Gulfstream during each of their respective meets.
Before I say goodbye and thank him for letting me meet the pony, I ask how Bourbon got his name. Robert grins. “I love Bourbon and I love horses, it made sense to give this special pony an extra-special name.” His pony is therapy for everyone, not just other horses. People come to visit while working here at the barn every day, and Robert’s niece and nephew are often seen riding Bourbon around the grounds. It’s easy to imagine smiling faces as various individuals spend time with him. I certainly feel as if Bourbon has lent me some calm and mental clarity during my visit, which I genuinely appreciate! I turn to see that Bourbon is still watching me walk away. One last wave and I’m at the car, ready to face the day ahead.
