Watercolor, by Jeff Olson, on display through Jan. 26.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — An art display featuring watercolor paintings and photos by Saratoga Trails Alliance co-founder Jeff Olson is currently on exhibit at Uncommon Grounds, on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.
Each image shows the imagery of water and color from locations around the world.
The art will be on display and for sale through Jan. 26 and all art sales go directly to Saratoga Trails Alliance – which serves as a central resource hub for trail users, organizations, and people who live, work and play in Saratoga County. For more information, go to: saratogatrails.org.
WILTON — Don’t hibernate all winter. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are great ways to explore the trails during the snowy season of the year.
Starting this month, cross-country skis and snowshoes will be available for rent every Saturday and Sunday through March 16, weather permitting. 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. Members of Wilton Wildlife have access to rental equipment at no cost. Rentals are available between 10 am and 2 pm with all rented equipment needing to be returned by 3 pm. 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 the Wilton Wildlife website at wiltonpreserve.org .
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Local journalism is in a state of crisis throughout the US, and the Capital District is no exception. The future of democracy depends on sustaining impactful, accountability-focused reporting.
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, NY Focus will present an evening of insightful dialogue at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7.
The evening’s program, “Journalism in Challenging Times,” will feature a keynote address by Rex Smith, former editor of the Times Union. Smith will explore the evolution of local journalism over the past several decades, the intersection of media and politics, and the challenges facing journalism today, including the rise of news deserts and the decline of revenue in traditional media.
Following the keynote, Smith will join the founders of NY Focus, New York’s only statewide nonprofit newsroom, an outlet dedicated to covering underreported issues, state policy, and government in New York. Together, they will discuss how nonprofit newsrooms are seeking to help restore the media landscape and what is at stake if local journalism continues to decline.
The event will conclude with a Q&A session, offering attendees the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers and explore how they can support the future of local journalism.
Tickets and information are available at www. https://www.caffelena.org. All proceeds benefit NY Focus’s mission to deliver high-quality, accountability-focused journalism.
With a focus on in-depth investigations, NY Focus is part of a growing movement of nonprofit newsrooms committed to preserving the stories that matter most. https://nysfocus.com/
WILTON — Experience nature in a whole new way by walking the trails under the full moon.
The January Moonlight Hike at Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park will be led by an environmental educator, offering insights into the park and its wildlife.
The walk will take place on Jan. 13 from 5:30 – 6:30 PM on the trails of Camp Saratoga North on Scout Road in the Town of Wilton. If there is snow, the program will take place on snowshoes. Free snowshoe rentals will be available 15 minutes before the program. There will also be Full Moon Hikes on Feb. 12 and March 14.
Registration is required at least one business day in advance. To register please visit the website at www.wiltonpreserve.org For more information, call the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org.
Saratoga rock trio The Figgs jam at the Universal Preservation Hall. Photos by Jonathon Norcross. A line of partiers wraps around the block outside the Saratoga City Tavern on Caroline Street. Fireworks light up the night sky over Broadway. Photo by Stefanie Waldek.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Revelers packed downtown Saratoga Springs on New Year’s Eve for a series of live music events and parties. Highlights included a Broadway fireworks display, a headlining performance by Ben Folds at the City Center, a 3-set show by jam band Dogs in a Pile at Putnam Place, two rousing sets by latin rock group Los Sugar Kings at Caffe Lena, and the return of Saratoga natives and garage rockers The Figgs at the Universal Preservation Hall. Cantina, Night Owl, and the Saratoga City Tavern kept their respective parties going into the wee hours. Discover Saratoga, a local tourism promotion group, also hosted a livestream of the festivities from the front porch of the Saratoga Arms Hotel.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga Springs Planning Board approved a plan for an addition to an existing mixed-use building on Broadway that will include 15 new residential units.
The property is located at 453-457 Broadway and will add three stories above Cooperstown Distillery adjacent to the three-story building where Compton’s Restaurant stands at street level. Compton’s will remain unchanged.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — An RFP (Request for Proposal) has been issued by the city seeking sealed bids for Pedestrian Safety Improvements.
Those improvements are to take place at Crescent Avenue near Waterfront Park, and at West Avenue near Pitney Farms, with work anticipated to take place from April 2025 through November 2025.
The work includes the construction and installation of traffic control devices and foundations.
According to the RFP, in comparing proposals, consideration will not be confined to price only, with the successful bidder being one whose product is judged to be of best quality and best value.
Sealed bids are due by Jan. 28, 2025 at which time they will be publicly opened and read.
Six-week programs open to caring, compassionate candidates
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Wesley Community, a 37-acre senior living campus with more than 700 residents in Saratoga Springs, will host Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training classes in the New Year.
The paid programs run for six weeks and offer certification upon completion to all successful participants.
Upcoming sessions scheduled for 2025 include classes that begin Jan. 20, March 3, April 28, June 16, Aug. 4, Sept. 22 and Nov. 10. Interested candidates may apply on Wesley’s website.
CNAs provide vital support to nurses in assisting with the complex tasks of patient care. Classroom training and on-the-job experience offer students the opportunity to learn how to apply key healthcare knowledge to long-term care. Daily responsibilities include maintaining the comfort and safety of patients and delivering direct care through bathing, feeding and grooming.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and have earned a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. Full attendance is required. Upon successful completion of the training program, participants will be offered full- or part-time employment at Wesley for evening or night shifts, depending on availability.
The Wesley Community offers competitive and team-focused employee benefits, including competitive pay and incentive compensation; paid vacation, sick and personal time; paid holidays; flexible scheduling; 401(k) retirement plan; a new, daily pay option; and more. The Wesley Community is no longer requiring employees to be vaccinated for Covid-19.
For more information about The Wesley Community, visit www.thewesleycommunity.org.
