Local weaver Cecilia Frittelli is one of 100 finalists in Martha Stewart’s national competition for the American Made Award, a prize that will honor “rising stars in a new generation of small-business owners,” according to Stewart’s website. Thousands of small business owners from across the country sent in their nominations to be considered for the award, but only 100 finalists remain and will now depend on supporters’ votes to win the competition.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - It takes Sam “The Bugler” Grossman only 16 seconds to play “Call to the Post,” so his official duties require less than five minutes a day. But this particular New York Racing Association (NYRA) employee has taken his job far and above what’s expected, a true music man who’s made the time to visit with old friends and make new acquaintances at the Wesley Care Center last Friday, August 31.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Increased track attendance, warm, sunny weather and strong, national exposure for the city of Saratoga Springs led to the best summer season downtown business owners have seen in nearly two years.

This Sunday, September 9, community members will gather in Congress Park to preserve the memory of those lost as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Steeplechase Festival planned for September 15 at the Saratoga Race Course has been officially cancelled by festival organizers for 2012, who hope to have the festival ready to go by 2013. The host committee was able to raise enough money to cover the $100,000 in purses but fell short of their goal for other projected costs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – With the 2012 meet at Saratoga Race Course and the Labor Day holiday behind them, it was back to work for the Saratoga Springs City Council, who met for a rather contentious first meeting for the month the evening of September 4.

CAMBRIDGE – Local BOCES graduate Donald “Scooter” Telford accomplished something many world-class, professional chefs have failed to do time and time again - he impressed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey. So much so, in fact, that Ramsey has now offered to pay for the next four years of Telford’s culinary education.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – For the first time in its 28-year history, the Saratoga Springs City Center will play host to a night of intense mixed martial arts (MMA) action as the Kaged Kombat Fighting Championships present “Night of Champions” scheduled for September 8. Three new champions will be crowned during the first amateur MMA event to be held at the City Center. Highlighting the 12-fight card will be bouts for the 155-pound lightweight title, 185-pound middleweight title and the 265-pound-and-up super heavyweight title. Tickets will be available at the door the night of the fight, with doors opening at 5 p.m. before the fights begin promptly at 6 p.m.

Life is a Cabaret

The Mansion Inn concluded its cabaret series, “The Stars are out Tonight,” with intimate performances by Billy Stritch on Wednesday and Thursday, August 22-23. The ultimate New York City performer, Stritch paid tribute to one of the legendary singers of all time, Mel Tormé, with an eclectic, energizing set of musical numbers.

Ripples form when you toss a stone in a pool of water. The same thing happens when a horse steps in the winner’s circle, and the better the horse, the further the ripple reaches.