NEW YORK — Free Fishing Weekends allow anglers looking to try ice fishing for the first time to do so without the requirement of a fishing license. This is a great opportunity for experienced anglers to introduce friends to the sport.
Beginning ice anglers should download the Ice Fishing Chapter of DEC’s I FISH NY Beginners Guide to Freshwater Fishing for information on how to get started. You can find additional information, including a list of waters open to ice fishing, on DEC’s ice fishing webpage.
Four inches of solid clear ice is usually safe for anglers accessing ice on foot. Ice thickness can vary on waterbodies and even within the same waterbody. Anglers should be particularly cautious of areas of moving water and around boat docks and houses where bubblers may be installed to reduce ice from forming. Testing the ice can easily be done with an auger or spud bar at various spots. Fishing with a family member or a friend is also encouraged for safety. Local bait and tackle shops are a great resource for finding out where there is safe ice and what anglers are catching.
2023 Free Fishing Days:
February 18-19, June 24-25, September 23 and November 11.
For more information: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/44804.html
Jennifer Frame, Stewart’s Shops Director of Corporate Philanthropy with Molly Nichol, Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Stewart’s Shops served their all-new Southwest Corn Chowder at the recent Saratoga Chowder Fest. Over 750 bowls of the creamy corn chowder were served.
Stewart’s Shops raised $1,545 at the event and presented a check to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to support their mission to feed those in need. This donation will provide over 6,000 meals.
Stewart’s has supported the Regional Food Bank for over 20 years. In 2022, Stewart’s provided over $150,000 in discounts and monetary donations to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Visit stewartsshops.com.
From L to R: Commissioner of Public Safety Jim Montagnino, Officer Alfano, Officer Thompson, Officer Leffler, Chief Shane Crooks, Officer Bogdan, Officer Nadeau, Officer Aldrich, Lt. Mitchell, Lt. Warfield, Lt. McIntosh. Photo: SSPD.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — City Commissioner of Public Safety Jim Montagnino and Chief Shane Crooks welcomed Officers Aldrich, Alfano, Bogdan, Leffler, Nadeau and Thompson to the ranks of the Saratoga Springs Police Department on Feb. 13, at the Zone 5 Regional Law Enforcement Training Center.
Officer Alfano received an award during the ceremony for Excellence in Physical Fitness. The new officers began their field training in Saratoga Springs this week.
Druthers Brewing Company voted People’s Choice 4,001+ bowls. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 24th annual Chowderfest, coordinated by Discover Saratoga, had another successful event this past Saturday, Feb. 11 in downtown Saratoga Springs.
This year an average of 35,000-40,000 people attended the event and 111,639 bowls of chowder were served by 82 vendors including 13 first-time participants. Attendees voted for their favorite and the winners are:
ALBANY — Congressman Paul Tonko, who represents Saratoga County in the 20th Congressional District, announced the Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) has been awarded a $1.15 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program to develop a comprehensive safety action plan for the Capital Region.
The SS4A program was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which Tonko supported.
“As we continue to implement the historic investments of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the safety of our roads and highways must be a top priority,” Tonko said, in a statement. “Across our Capital Region, drivers, public transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians depend on safe streets to connect with their jobs, their schools, and their communities.”
The CDTC applied for this grant in partnership with the cities of Albany, Saratoga Springs, Troy, and Watervliet, as well as the Village of Green Island. This significant funding will provide supplemental support for Vision Zero, a safe systems and complete streets plan for New York’s Capital Region.
As part of this program, the CDTC will consult with expert analysts, engineers, and community contacts to prioritize locally specific safety countermeasures, strategies, and actions to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The project will culminate with a regional Vision Zero Plan containing a comprehensive list of locations prioritized for specific actions to enhance traffic safety based on relevant roadway and intersection characteristics found to contribute to serious accidents.
Proposed mixed-use for 126 West Ave. featuring demolition of current structure and development of four townhouses and commercial use space, as per applicant B&D Properties, LLC, of Schenectady. Application under consideration at DRB this week.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The city’s three Land Use Boards are a good indicator of plans, designs and proposals that will ultimately define the Saratoga Springs landscape in the near and distant future.
Upcoming meetings:
Design Review Board – 6 p.m., March 1.
“For Outdoor Dining Applications Only” – 6 p.m., March 8.
Planning Board – Feb. 23. Workshop: March 2,
Meeting: March 9.
Zoning Board of Appeals – 6:30 p.m., Feb. 27.
All meetings at Saratoga Springs City Hall. For more information about meetings and agendas, go to: Saratoga-springs.org.
Award winning luxury house by Witt Constrution, featured in last year’s Showcase of Homes tour. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes Committee is now busy planning this year’s edition of the area’s premiere new home tour. Celebrating its 27th year, this annual community tradition has contributed nearly $1.5 million dollars to our local charities.
The 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes event will be held on 4 days over two spectacular weekends this fall on October 7-8 & October 14-15 featuring the regions finest, award-winning builders showcasing their new construction. We are excited to announce this year’s dates and look forward to presenting an outstanding line-up of magnificent homes on display in Saratoga County this fall.
Be a part of the area’s premiere new home tour!
The Showcase of Homes Committee will have an extensive marketing and promotional campaign, which will include official media sponsors in newspapers, magazines, television, online, social media and more! If you are interested in entering a new home in the event or becoming a showcase sponsor, please contact Barry Potoker, Executive Director at 518.366.0946 or bpotoker@saratogabuilders.org.
The 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes event will benefit Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties. Last year with only 5 homes on the tour $48,000 was raised for these charities. Through this event, the Saratoga Builders Association has now contributed nearly $1.5 million for our two designated local charities. For more information, please visit www.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com. Follow us this year on our BLOG & FACEBOOK for all the details and updates!
About Saratoga Builders Association
The Saratoga Builders Association, Inc. (SBA) is a specialized professional trade association representing an industry basic to the wellbeing and economy of the people of Saratoga County. Its membership includes residential and commercial builders, developers, remodelers, building material suppliers, sub-contractors, financial institutions, architects, engineers, realtors, attorneys and other industry professionals. SBA is committed to the continued growth, prosperity and quality of life in Saratoga County.
Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. welcomes attendees at the 17th Annual Saratoga County Planning & Zoning Conference (Photo provided).
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga County Planning and Economic Development Department held its 17th Annual Planning and Zoning Conference on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the Saratoga Springs City Center, bringing together more than 600 planning and zoning professionals from across New York State. The event is the largest industry conference in the State of New York.
Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. said, “Saratoga County is proud to hold this informative event each year for planning and zoning professionals and volunteers throughout New York State to learn best practices from their peers. We thank our event sponsors, speakers, moderators, and attendees for helping us grow this conference year after year.”
The day-long Conference included 16 educational and informational courses taught by experts in the planning and zoning fields. Participants included members of planning boards, zoning boards of appeals and municipal staff from around New York State.
The Conference offered a wide range of introductory to advanced courses, covering a variety of topics including industry trends, best practices, case law update, transportation, land use, conservation, and even a fun, informative “Land Development Jeopardy” session in the format of the popular television game show.
The Conference also meets within one day of the New York State four-hour Mandatory Continuing Education requirements for Planning and Zoning Board members.
The Saratoga County Planning and Zoning Conference entails a large geographic area with 13 counties and more than 75 municipalities in attendance. Approximately 40 speakers and moderators participated to bring interesting content to the attendees. Additionally, 23 exhibitors and vendors combined with 11 sponsors helped to make the event a success for all that attend.
Drug-related overdoses by year in Saratoga County, as reported via Saratoga County’s new Substance Use Surveillance Dashboard at: Savealifeto.day.
BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County officials unveiled a new “comprehensive, near real-time substance use surveillance dashboard,” on Feb. 7 that coordinates and reports on substance use related data within Saratoga County.
Believed to be the first of its kind in use in upstate N.Y., county officials are hopeful the data the tool provides will aid in opioid and substance abuse education, prevention, treatment and response efforts.
“Death from opioid poisoning is a national issue of historic proportion,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore Kusnierz, during Tuesday’s press conference unveiling the dashboard. The gathering included Clifton Park Supervisor and Health & Human Services Chair Philip Barrett, County Sheriff Michael Zurlo, and county Health Commissioner Daniel Kuhles, among others.
“Nationally we see about 50,000 overdose deaths per year and three-quarters of those deaths involve the use of synthetic or man-made opioids, other than methadone,” said Kusnierz, adding that the county will be re-investing millions of dollars, including funds received via opioid settlements, to “mitigate the growing influence of drugs and addiction in our communities, through a variety of programs.”
With the Surveillance Dashboard, Saratoga County Department of Health epidemiologists leverage data from six primary sources that originate across multiple disciplines (law enforcement, health care, mental health, and public health) to provide a comprehensive picture of the burden of substance use in the county. The standardized approach allows for the timely identification of concerning patterns, such as a spike in a limited geographic area over a defined period of time.
Some data: Drug-Related Overdoses in Saratoga County, 2018-2023
• 2018: 449.
• 2019: 467.
• 2020: 487.
• 2021: 584
• 2022: 671.
• 2023: 46 YTD.
According to the data, 48 of the 671 overdoses in 2022 were fatal. In 2023, those statistics are 7 fatalities of 46 overdoses, year-to-date.
The top five primary drugs in 2022 overdoses (that is, the first drug identified in the report and not including polydrug use) in order were: heroin, followed by RX drugs, fentanyl, oxycodone, alcohol.
Substance Use: Top Number of Annual Narcotic Prescriptions by Provider Zip Code
• Saratoga Springs (12866): 120,418.
• Clifton Park (12065): 85,250.
• Amsterdam – incl. portion of Saratoga County (12010): 60,929.
• Ballston Spa (12020): 34,186.
• Gansevoort – incl. portion of Wilton (12831): 23,676.
This narcotic prescription data – depicting the most recent information available in 2021 – is reflective of the provider zip code, and not of the patient receiving the prescription. As such, the totals may include non-Saratoga County residents.
Multiple departments across the county will benefit from this data including Department of Health, Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the Sheriff’s Office. The data will help identify high burden areas and to track overdose ‘hot spots’ to quickly focus on peer outreach, naloxone placement/distribution, and trainings throughout the county. The data will also be used to monitor trends over time and evaluate the impact of prevention and treatment programs such as: Jail MAT Program, Second Chance Program, and Naloxone distribution and administration in the County.
Saratoga County is also providing this public dashboard to assist healthcare organizations, first responders, community organizations, municipalities, and schools in their education, prevention, treatment and response efforts. Further, the dashboard provides residents with resources for mental health and substance use prevention and treatment.
To view the Surveillance Use Dashboard go to Savealifeto.day.
Ron Kim delivers State of the City address. Photo: Saratoga Springs Democrats Facebook page.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Challenges of the past, prosperity and hope for the future.
City Mayor Ron Kim delivered Saratoga Springs 2023 State of The City Address Feb. 3 at Saratoga Music Hall.
“This is the Year of the Rabbit,” said Kim, the first Asian American city mayor in New York State, one month into his second year in office and one week after celebrating the Lunar New Year. “In Asian culture, the rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity and 2023 has been designated A Year of Hope,” he said.
“While Saratoga Springs has some challenges, the State of the City is strong, its people and businesses are vibrant and 2023 can be a year of continued prosperity and hope.”
Infrastructure-wise, the city is nearing completion of a long-awaited third fire station; final designs have been approved and implementation begun on a comprehensive “missing sidewalks” program throughout Saratoga Springs, Kim said.
This month, the first public hearing is anticipated take place with neighbors living in the western part of the city, tasked with the ultimate goal of developing a design for a multi-use trail on Grand Avenue that will connect the West Side. Additionally, a “destination” playground is anticipated to soon undergo development at Veterans Memorial Park, as is an undertaking of a comprehensive rehab at the city’s Waterfront Park on Saratoga Lake.
Calling 2023 the year that the city makes great stride towards a carbon neutral future, the mayor informed that the city will create a Climate Action & Resiliency Plan.
“Just in the last few days, the Mayor’s Office obtained a Climate Smart Grant for $37,500 to review the city’s carbon footprint and develop strategies to reach carbon neutrality,” Kim said. “This grant will allow the city to assess where it can reduce its carbon footprint so we can move to a carbon less and eventually carbon neutral future by 2030.”
Regarding affordable housing, Kim referenced a recent partnership struck with Putnam Resources LLC on a proposed project at a brownfield site opposite the Saratoga Springs Public Library; a 200-unit Liberty Affordable Housing project adjacent to Saratoga Casino currently under review by the city’s Land Use Boards, and a pair of ongoing construction projects on the west side anticipated to add 202 housing units at Tait Lane.
“The city not only needs to improve its affordable housing options, but also must offer shelter for its homeless residents. In June, I held the first Mayor’s forum on Homelessness at the City Center,” Kim said. “In addition, my offices supported the successful ‘member-item’ funding effort by Congressman Paul Tonko to build a $2 million dollar Homelessness Day Center at RISE facilities.
“Currently, the city’s homeless take refuge during a major portion of the year in one of the city’s garages on Woodlawn. Not only is this inhumane, it is dangerous for residents, visitors and the homeless,” Kim said. “To remedy this situation and establish a long-term strategy, I am forming a Task Force on Homelessness with the goal of selecting a permanent site for a shelter and navigation center by Fall of 2023.”
