BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County seniors are encouraged to celebrate Winterfest at the Department of Aging and Youth Services’ Gather and Dine locations throughout Saratoga County.  

Winterfest will be celebrated during the month of January and will feature a hot cocoa bar with fixings, Belgian waffles with toppings and sausage prepared by Mazzone Hospitality. 

Saratoga County residents ages 60 and older are invited to celebrate at their local Dine and Gather location. Reservations are required and must be made at least one day in advance by noon. Those interested must contact their preferred location to make a reservation. 

Winterfest Locations & Dates:

•Jan. 16 – Moreau Community Center 518-792-6007

•Jan. 18 – Corinth Senior Center 518-654-2040

•Jan. 23 – Galway Town Hall 518-921-8799

•Jan. 25 – Saratoga Senior Center 518-884-4100

Lunch is served on site at 12 p.m. “To Go” meals are not available. Seniors with questions may contact Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services at 518-884-4100. For more information about the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services, visit SaratogaCountyNY.gov.

WILTON — On Mondays, Jan. 15 and 29, and Feb. 12 and 26 at 10:30 a.m., Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park will be holding its bi-weekly Nature on the Move walks. 

The walks are led by one of Wilton Wildlife’s Environmental Educators and will take place on the NYS DEC Camp Saratoga Trails. 

These walks give participants an opportunity to get out on the trails with like-minded people and observe the beauty of nature in the winter. They are geared towards gentle exercise and are appropriate for adults at basic fitness levels. 

Registration is required at least one business day in advance. To register, go to: www.wiltonpreserve.org. For more information, call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The NYS Office for the Aging Lunch Program – The Saratoga County Department of Aging & Youth Services lunch program – has returned to the Center. Lunch is served daily (Monday-Friday) at noon. The lunch program is available to any Saratoga County resident ages 60+. 

To register for lunch, and/or learn more about transportation options, contact the Saratoga County Department of Aging & Youth Services at 518-363-4020. 

Poetry/Story-Telling Open Mic – Friday, Jan. 12, 1 p.m. ($5 suggested donation). This program will begin with a reading by local poet David Graham, followed by open mic time. Each participant has five minutes to read two short poems or one long one. Storytellers have five minutes to tell, narrate or perform their piece. Light refreshments will be served. 

An Afternoon with Charlie Kuenzel – Thursday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m. ($10). President of the Saratoga History Museum, Charlie Kuenzel will share history about the “Famed Mineral Springs of Saratoga” while guests enjoy food and a complimentary tasting. RSVP required. 

Chef Showcase – Tuesday, Jan. 23, 5:30 p.m. ($12). Dine-in dinner provided at the Center by the Olde Bryan Inn. Enjoy delicious roasted pork with orange balsamic apple chutney, baked potato and side vegetables. Early registration is encouraged.  

Silver Sneakers & Renew Active Luncheon – Friday, Jan. 26, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Join the Saratoga Senior Center and Saratoga YMCA for a Friday Funday. Lunch will be provided by Mama Mia’s while attendees play generational Trivial Pursuit, The Game of Life and Scrabble. Guests can also try out the YMCA’s SMARTfit device, designed to improve cognitive and physical well-being. 

Free Presentations 

Medical Aid in Dying – Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1:30 pm. Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) is a viable option for terminally ill people at the end stages of their illness, presently available in 10 states and the District of Columbia. Dr. David Pratt will present on the status of a potential Medical Aid in Dying option for New York State. RSVP required.  

Healthy Life, Happy Life – Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1:30 p.m. Well-being (happiness) is a three-legged stool – mental health, physical health and emotional health. All three will be explored, including “use it or lose it,” managing risks, socialization, purpose and gratitude. RSVP required. 

 Saratoga Senior Center is located at 290 West Ave. Go to: saratogaseniorcenter.org. 

BALLSTON SPA —The Saratoga County Career Center in conjunction with the Greater Capital Region Career Centers will hold the following free virtual career workshops this month:

Jan. 16 at 11 a.m.: Completing Job Applications. Statistics show approximately 50% of mid-sized companies and almost all large corporations use an applicant tracking system to screen candidates for job opportunities. Learn how to prepare your online application to get the most visibility from hiring managers. Facilitated by Warren and Washington.

Jan. 23 at 11 a.m.: Overcoming Barriers. Join an informal discussion about how to overcome potential stumbling blocks to finding a job. Whether you’re facing transportation needs, childcare needs, prior justice system involvement, inexperience, health concerns or more, this workshop will provide you with resources and strategies to help you meet your goals. Facilitated by Saratoga and Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie.

Jan.  25 at 1:30 p.m.: Social Media. Your social media presence can make or break your ability to find a job. Learn how to use social media to your advantage in searching for a job and marketing yourself to land the job or career you’ve always wanted. Facilitated by Schenectady.

Registration is required for all workshops. Visit thejoblink.org/calendar/ to register or call the Saratoga County Career Center at 518-884-4170 for more information.  The workshops are offered as part of the Saratoga County Career Center’s WorkPays! workforce education campaign. 

The Saratoga County Department of Workforce Development provides comprehensive training and employment services to residents through its Career Center and works with local businesses to attract and retain the local workforce. 

SARATOGA COUNTY —New York Attorney General Letitia James and the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York Carla Freedman announced in late December they had secured $656,000 in a settlement with Chaim “Mutty” Scheinbaum, an unlicensed operator of the Saratoga Center for Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Care (Saratoga Center) for years of fraud and resident neglect. 

From 2017 to 2021, Scheinbaum operated the nursing home in Ballston Spa without a license from the state, in violation of New York law. 

Under his control, conditions at Saratoga Center rapidly declined. The facility lacked hot water and clean linens, and residents suffered falls, pressure sores, and other significant lapses in care, according to a statement released by the N.Y. attorney general’s office. 

The facility – formerly known as Maplewood Manor when it was owned and operated by Saratoga County – was sold by the county in 2015. 

The settlement follows four prior settlements as part of a resolution in February 2023 with Saratoga Center’s owners, a second unlicensed operator, and the facility’s landlord, for over $7.1 million. 

“Every resident of New York’s nursing homes deserves high-quality care and proper staffing to meet their needs,” James said in a statement. “Rather than ensure vulnerable residents got the care they deserved, this individual mismanaged Saratoga Center’s finances and failed to adequately staff the facility, causing residents to suffer the consequences of neglect and unsanitary conditions. 

Saratoga Center operated as a 257-bed nursing home from 2015 until it closed in 2021. In 2017, the landlord pressured the owners to relinquish control of Saratoga Center to unlicensed operators, including Scheinbaum, but did not report the change to the Department of Health (DOH).

The conditions at Saratoga Center declined under the control of the new, unlicensed operators, leading to a breakdown in the quality of care provided to residents. From when they took over in 2017 to when Saratoga Center closed in 2021, Scheinbaum and the other unlicensed operator mismanaged the nursing home’s finances and failed to adequately staff the facility, causing residents to suffer the consequences.

Scheinbaum and the other operators billed New York’s Medicaid program for services provided to the residents. The investigation revealed these were claims for worthless services and amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraudulent claims, James said.  

In 2018, both DOH and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fined Saratoga Center for serious deficiencies and violations, and in 2019, CMS designated Saratoga Center a “Special Focus Facility,” signifying it was among the poorest performing nursing homes in the country. 

The parties to the settlement announced are Chaim Scheinbaum, Alliance NJ Care LLC, and Alliance HC II LLC, the entities through which Scheinbaum conducted business. 

MALTA — Matt McLoughlin, a 23-year resident of Malta, was appointed to the Malta Town Board to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former Councilman John Hartzell in December. 

McLoughlin, served for the last two years as Deputy Town Supervisor, and is a former Trooper who was assigned to the Malta Barracks for more than a decade during his tenure with the State Police. 

“We have a great deal of work to accomplish in the months and years ahead. With a new board, I’m confident we can work in a bipartisan manner to reflect the wants and desires of our community,” McLoughlin said in a statement. “I look forward to working and partnering with incoming Supervisor Young and all of our council members to work toward that goal.”

MOREAU — The following events are scheduled to take place this week at Moreau Lake State Park, located at 605 Old Saratoga Rd, Gansevoort. Program fees waived this month in lieu of a non-perishable donation for our local food drive. 

Monday, Jan. 8 at 9 a.m. – Eagle Watch. Join a Park Educator on a convoy-style journey along the Hudson River to try to spot local Bald Eagles. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance: 518-793-0511.

Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. – Lake Bonita to Waterfall Trail Hike. A guided hike approximately 3.6 miles total with an out and back trail from Lake Bonita to the Waterfall trail. Bring microspikes and poles if you have them. Snowshoes and microspikes to rent for $5. Reserve your spot in advance by calling the office at 518-793-0511.

Thursday, Jan. 11 at 9:30 a.m. – Kneehigh Naturalist. Geared toward children aged 2-5. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance: 518-793-0511.

Friday Jan. 5, 12, 17, 19, and 26 at 9:30 a.m. – Wiggly Wanderers. This will be a beginner’s hike/wander series for toddlers who are ready to move and caregivers who are able to carry their toddler if their legs get too tired. This event does not have sign ups.  Meet at the nature center parking lot. 

WILTON — Starting the weekend of Jan. 6, cross-country skis and snowshoes will be available for rent every Saturday and Sunday through March 24, in the town of Wilton.

Rentals will also be available on Monday, Jan. 15, Dr. Martin Luther King Day and during the school vacation week from Feb. 19-23. Adult and child sizes are available.

The rentals are located in the Winter Lodge at Camp Saratoga with access from Parking Lot #1 on Scout Road in the Town of Wilton. Rentals are $10 for adults and $5 for kids/students. Rentals are available from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. with all rented equipment returned by 3 p.m. Rentals are on a first-come first-serve basis.

For more information, call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org. For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, visit wiltonpreserve.org or follow on Facebook or Instagram @wiltonpreserve.