SARATOGA SPRINGS —The development of a new city police station inched forward toward reality this week with the City Council’s approval to sign a contract addendum with LaBella Associates of Rochester at a cost of $214,500. 

The council had approved $500,000 in the Capital Budget plan for use in 2025 to initiate designs for a new public safety facility.  

“There are three phases,” Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll explained to the council during its April 1 meeting. “The first is the basic drawings to make sure it will fit on the site. The second phase – which we’re entering now – is the schematic design phase, and the third phase would be the construction documents. “ 

The overall estimated cost for the new facility is approximately $25 million. It will be sited on city-owned land behind City Hall that is currently used as a parking lot by city employees. The lot had previously been the focus of numerous design plans during the past several decades – a cinema, a 500-car parking garage and a public safety facility, among them. 

The new facility, at approximately 30,000 square feet, is slated to include a sally port and a walkway to transport prisoners directly to City Hall and eliminate their being transported through pedestrian traffic, as is currently the case. A connector bridge is anticipated to extend over Maple Avenue to adjoin the facility with City Hall – where the courts are located, not dissimilar to the connector bridge atop Maple Avenue a few blocks north that connects the parking garage with the Saratoga Springs City Center.  

The police department’s current home is in the basement of City Hall. It has served as its headquarters for nearly 150 years. Feasibility studies for the development of a new public safety facility in the city date to the mid-1970s, and more than a half-dozen reports were conducted during the decades that have followed. 

In 2006, a committee was formed to help develop a new station and the City Council seated at the time explored multiple proposals for a new facility, but no majority approval could be secured for any of the plans. Subsequently no action was taken.  Renovations and upgrades have been made to City Hall in the time since, but the restrictive space of the current police department is less than ideal, officials say.   

Commissioner Coll said the public safety department is anticipating making a public presentation to the council regarding the proposal status in the coming weeks, and Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi is anticipating staging a subsequent presentation to be made by financial advisors who will explain to the council the finances and timing involved in funding the $25 million station. 

The council is in agreement that a new station is needed. Coll said Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner is working to attempt to secure some of the funding for the project, although it is not currently known whether such funding will be available.  

SARATOGA — Congresswoman Elise Stefanik will maintain her seat in the 21st Congressional District, which includes portions of Saratoga County and runs hundreds of miles along the Canadian border.

Stefanik was first elected to the office in 2014. On Nov. 11, 2024, six days after being elected to her sixth term to represent NY-21, then-President Elect Donald Trump picked the town of Saratoga resident to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations. 

On March 27, President Donald Trump clawed back his nomination of Stefanik to serve in his Cabinet. 

“It is imperative that we maintain EVERY seat in Congress,” President Donald Trump posted, in part, on the Truth Social platform March 27, explaining the reasoning for Stefanik’s staying put in Congress. “With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat…therefore, Elise will stay in Congress.” 

A Senate confirmation vote approving Stefanik’s appointment was anticipated to take place sometime this month, subsequently triggering a process for a special election regionally – expected to take place during the summer – to fill Stefanik’s seat. Multiple party chairs across numerous upstate municipalities had been planning in preparation of launching a campaign for potential candidates for that special election in NY-21. 

The current term for the House seat goes until December 2026. The district represented by Stefanik includes multiple Saratoga County towns – Corinth, Greenfield, Moreau, Northumberland, Saratoga, and portions of Wilton among them.  

“The reality is this is a historically slim House majority,” Stefanik told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on March 30.  “The political realities are what they are, and it’s very important that we have every single vote in the House. So I’m proud to be stepping up as a team to support the American people, to get this done and to continue to support President Trump.” 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Jewish Community Arts and the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York present, live on Zoom, The Braid’s performance of “Hold Me, Heal Me,” at 2 p.m. April 6, and 7 p.m. April 10. 

“Hold Me, Heal Me” offers stories of the power of kindness to heal. Like other plays in The Braid’s repertoire, “Hold Me, Heal Me” will be performed live on Zoom, followed by a Q&A session with the performers.

Now in its 15th season, The Braid is the go-to Jewish story company and leading non-profit organization creating, curating, producing and preserving stories grounded in Jewish culture and experience. Formerly known as Jewish Women’s Theater, the Braid bases performances on real life experiences, brought to life by professional actors.

To register for “Hold Me, Heal Me” and other upcoming SJCA programs, go to the SJCA Home Page at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/9HjgRFz/SJCAHomePage

CLIFTON PARK – The following events are slated to take place at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, located at 475 Moe Road. Details and registration information for each program can be found at www.cphlibrary.org or by calling 518-371-8622. 

• Teen Paint & Sip – Monday, April 14 at 4 p.m. (grades 6-12); registration required.
• Mushrooms & Me – Tuesday, April 15 at 2 p.m. (grades 2-5); registration required.
• Teen LEGO Mastery Competition! – Tuesday, April 15 at 3:30 p.m. (grades 6-12); registration required.
• Pajamarama Story Time – Wednesday, April 16 at 10 a.m.
• “Saturday Morning” Cartoons – Wednesday, April 16 at 2 p.m. (grades 1-4).
• Game Playtests: Be the First to Play! – Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. (grades 6-12); registration required.
• Wicked Sing-Along – Thursday, April 17 at 1 p.m.
• Middle School Book Club – Thursday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. (grades 6-9); registration required.
• VolunTEEN: Advisory Program (VTAP) – Friday, April 18 at 1 p.m. (grades 6-12); registration required.
• TTOB: Habitat Hunters – Friday, April 18 at 2 p.m. (grades 2-5); registration required.

HUDSON FALLS — With access to basic healthcare a challenge for some Americans who are uninsured or underinsured, Remote Area Medical (RAM) will be offering a free, comprehensive healthcare clinic at Hudson Falls High School, located at E Labarge Street, Hudson Falls, on April 12-13. 

Th clinic will provide dental, vision, and medical care to those who might otherwise go without these essential services.

RAM Clinics offer free healthcare services that include general medical exams, women’s health exams, dental cleanings, extractions, eye exams, and prescription glasses made on-site. HIV testing, and hepatitis C testing will also be available at this clinic. 

The upcoming clinic in Hudson Falls is open to anyone in need, with no insurance and no ID required. RAM encourages anyone who could benefit from these services to attend and receive the care they deserve. 

The parking lot will open no later than 11:59 p.m. (Midnight) on Friday night, April 11, and remain open for the duration of the clinic. Once in the parking lot, additional information regarding clinic-opening processes and next steps will be provided. Clinic doors open at 6 a.m., services are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Saturday’s clinic operations will be an abbreviated day, patients are advised to arrive as early as possible. Due to time constraints, patients should be prepared to choose between DENTAL and VISION services.

For more information on the upcoming RAM Clinic, including how to volunteer or donate, visit www.ramusa.org or call 865-579-1530. Patients may also visit the Facebook Event for this clinic at https://www.facebook.com/events/585023354212688/

WILTON — The historic Cornell Fire Tower opens for the season the weekend of Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tower will also be open on Tuesday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Parking for the historic Cornell Fire Tower will be in Parking Lot #3 on Scout Road. Children under the age of five are not permitted to climb the fire tower.

 April Full Moon hikes led by an environmental educator at Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park will take place 7:30 -8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12. Registration is required at least one business day in advance. 

For more information visit www.wiltonpreserve.org, or call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org.

GREENWICH — The Third Annual Southern Adirondack Homesteading Festival will take place from April 25–27 at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Greenwich. Participants can expect classes, talks, and workshops focused on farming, food preservation, and more. 

Classes will focus on processing chickens, soap-making, canning and food preservation, and growing mushrooms for beginners and veterans.

Talks will be held throughout the festival focusing on farming and related community efforts, highlighted by keynote speaker Phillip Ackerman-Leist, who will discuss sustainable farming and creating resilient communities with the help of regenerative food systems.

A number of workshops will be held on several topics like gardening, livestock care, permaculture, and traditional crafts. These will include focuses on specific skills like raising animals and preserving your harvest.

Other activities can be found throughout the festivals for both adults and children, such as live music, food trucks, hands-on experiences for kids, local vendors and artisans, demonstrations on woodworking and fiber arts, and more. 

For more details about this event visit www.adkhomesteading.com.