Jonathon Norcross
Perfect Season: Adirondack United Finishes Undefeated 14-0
CHAZY — The Adirondack United girls’ hockey team defeated Beekmantown at the Scotts’ Memorial Rink last Friday, 3-1. The victory was the team’s final game of the regular season. The United finished 14-0 on the year, and will now begin their postseason journey at the Glens Falls Recreation Center on Thursday, February 8.
Against Beekmantown, Tekla Fine-Lease kicked off the night with a power play goal. Lillian Willis added two more goals. Emerson Lochner-Fehl, Bayley Duffy, and Emily Macaulay all tallied assists. Goalie Ava Reynolds made 12 saves to earn the victory.
At the start of the season, Coach Jeff Willis said his team had its sights set on a state championship. After 14 straight victories, the United are now poised to enter the postseason as favorites to capture the title.
Harness Racing Season Kicks Off at Saratoga Casino Hotel
SARATOGA SPRINGS — If the Saratoga Race Course is akin to a ritzy cocktail bar, harness racing at the Saratoga Casino Hotel is more like a friendly neighborhood pub. Not everyone there knows each other, but it feels like they do. Security guards are on a first-name basis with drivers. Groups of friends crowd around tables to drink and chat while a slot machine symphony rings in the background. Inside, there’s the familiar scent of beer. Outside, a hint of cigar smoke floats through the chilly air. By the time the first race begins, the place is packed.
The 83rd season of harness racing kicked off last Saturday, continuing a tradition that began in 1941, when the Saratoga Raceway hosted its first opening night. This year’s schedule will include 150 racing programs through mid-Decemeber, with more than $17 million in purses. Two notable events happening this year are the New York Sire Stakes in June, which feature New York-bred horses racing for over $1 million in purses, and the 15th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace on July 20.
“We are looking forward to a tremendous season of racing here at Saratoga Casino Hotel,” said Race Secretary Peter Iovino in a statement. “Our purses will attract a quality product for our racing fans.”
This season will feature a variety of promotions, including:
• Up to 15% bonuses on all winning wagers for SaratogaBets account holders
• On Sunday, February 18, the first 400 customers will receive long-sleeve t-shirts
• A chance to spin a prize wheel to win a $25-$100 free bet on Presidents’ Day
The winter, spring, and fall schedules will include matinee racing on Sundays, Mondays, and select Tuesdays. The summer schedule will feature racing on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday evenings, with a post time of 5 p.m. Throughout the season, track announcer Mike Sardella will be posting his race picks and writing a biweekly column on saratogacasino.com.
Aside from harness racing, the Saratoga Casino Hotel also features slot machines, electronic game tables, the Vapor nightclub, a Morton’s steakhouse, and full-service bars. Simulcast wagering is also available.
Saratoga Girls Basketball Player Nets 1,000 Points
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs High School girls basketball player Carly Wise has netted 1,000 total points in her career with the Blue Streaks. Wise, a senior, is a two-sport athlete and will play lacrosse next year for Clemson University.
Local Pitcher Signs with Yankees
Broadalbin — Left-handed relief pitcher Matt Gage has been picked up by the New York Yankees after he was placed on waivers by the Houston Astros. Gage is an upstate New York native who attended Broadalbin-Perth High School, about 30 minutes west of Saratoga Springs. For three years, he pitched for Siena College in Loudonville, before being drafted by the San Francisco Giants. In a post on his X account, Gage said he was “very blessed for every new opportunity to Chase the Dream!” In the majors, Gage has pitched for both the Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays for a combined 19.2 innings and 1.83 ERA.
Gage joins East Greenbush native Kevin Smith as the second player with local roots to be signed by the New York Yankees this off-season.
Make-A-Wish Unveils Saratoga Springs Facility
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeast New York unveiled its Dr. J. Peter McPartlon Wishing Space in downtown Saratoga Springs last Sunday. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured remarks from Mayor John Safford, State Senator James Tedisco, and Star Wars droid R2-D2.
Jamie Hathaway, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Northeast New York, showed off some of the facility’s features, including an “immersive” 180-degree movie theater that screens short animated films explaining the Make-A-Wish process to children. The lobby featured large stuffed animals, Legos, and a Pac-Man arcade game. All of these elements are designed to “remind children and to tell children that they have agency over something in their lives,” Hathaway said. “When you have a critical illness, sometimes you feel that it’s only happening to you. You feel very alone in the process, and so what Make-A-Wish does and what this space does is they create community around families in crisis.”
The facility is named in honor of Dr. J. Peter McPartlon, who passed away in 2020. Members of his family said in a statement that they were “honored to be part of this incredible project that embodies the spirit of our father. He believed in the power of wishes to bring joy and healing to children and families in crisis. This Wishing Space is a tribute to his memory and a celebration of the hope that Make-A-Wish instills in the hearts of wish kids and their families.”
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor John Safford said that Saratoga Springs “is thrilled to have this in our city, and we look forward to all the wonderful things this organization is going to continue to do for our region.”
When asked for comment, R2-D2 beeped and whirled its head.
The Dr. J. Peter McPartlon Wishing Space is now open to the public at 92 Congress Street, next to Fat Paulie’s Delicatessen. For more information, visit www.wish.org/neny.
Adelphi Hotel Hosts Chevy Chase
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Adelphi Hotel in downtown Saratoga Springs hosted actor Chevy Chase last weekend. Chase and his wife Jayni celebrated their daughter Caley’s birthday at the hotel. Chase called the experience a “wonderful weekend in Saratoga Springs” in an Instagram post.
Chase is currently filming the holiday movie “The Christmas Letter” in various locations across upstate and central New York. The film will see him reunite with “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” co-stars Randy Quaid and Brian Doyle-Murray.
Saratoga Biochar Alleges “Potentially Illegal Actions” by Moreau
MOREAU — Saratoga Biochar Solutions has accused the Moreau town supervisor and town board of “underhanded and potentially illegal actions” after Moreau officials held a closed-door meeting regarding a possible construction moratorium at the Moreau Industrial Park, where Biochar is attempting to build a facility.
In a statement, Biochar said the meeting was “in likely violation of New York state open meeting law.” As of January 31, the Town of Moreau’s website had not posted any record of the January 19 meeting taking place. A request for comment from the Moreau town supervisor’s office was not returned.
Raymond Apy, founder and CEO of Northeastern Biochar Solutions, the parent company of Saratoga Biochar, said he hasn’t heard from any Moreau officials since his company released a statement criticizing them on January 24. “I would not accuse them of malicious activity,” Apy said. Rather, Apy said he was disappointed that “they’re not holding true to their campaign promise of transparency.”
Gina LeClair, a former member of the Moreau Town Board from 2008 to 2020, said that closed-door meetings are common but “not something that’s lightly done.”
“They’re legal meetings,” LeClair said. “The town board meets every two weeks. If something comes up that they need the advice of their attorney, they can, at any point that’s convenient for them and the attorney, get together.” LeClair said that attorneys present during the meetings would “immediately speak up” if a specific discussion was not allowed in private.
Biochar has been attempting to build a fertilizer plant at the Moreau Industrial Park for the past two years. Possible construction of the facility has led to opposition from local politicians, as well as the formation of anti-Biochar groups such as “Not Moreau,” which was co-founded by LeClair and currently has 1,700 followers on Facebook.
LeClair said that opposition to a Biochar facility in Moreau is motivated by concerns with emissions, truck traffic, noise pollution, odor, and a potential decline in property values. “Twenty jobs at a sewage sludge handling plant is not significant enough to put all of this down on all of these communities,” LeClair said. “There’s really not much in there that’s good for the residents of Moreau.”
In contrast to local opposition, Apy said his interactions with New York State officials have been “very collaborative.” Biochar recently received its Notice of Completed Application from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). NYSDEC is expected to make a final decision on solid waste management and air emissions permits for Biochar at some point this year.
“We’re a small startup company. We’ve been accused of being some big, giant corporate greedy pig,” Apy said. “We care about environmental sustainability. That’s our entire company ethos.”
Apy said he remains optimistic about not just building a plant in Moreau, but also expanding his company to Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, and even Australia. “It would be unfortunate for New York not to gain the recognition of a groundbreaking facility like this coming online before some other state or even another country,” Apy said.
NYSDEC will hold both virtual and in-person public hearings about Biochar in South Glens Falls on February 7 and 8. Anti-Biochar activists are planning their own meetings on February 6 that will teach attendees “how to make an impactful statement or letter to convince [NYSDEC] to not issue permits to Saratoga Biochar,” according to an event flier.
“We Are in a Crisis”: Saratoga Schools Struggling with Recruitment
SARATOGA SPRINGS —School districts across New York have been dealing with significant teacher shortages, and Saratoga Springs is no exception.
At the Saratoga Springs City School District Board of Education meeting on January 25, Director of Personnel Development Hillary Brewer delivered the 2024-2025 Staffing and Pre-budget Outlook presentation. In it, she discussed the district’s struggles to recruit educators. “Recruiting candidates is extremely difficult,” Brewer said. “We do know that we are in a crisis.”
Brewer said that one applicant for a vacant technology position at Saratoga Springs High School had twelve other job offers. “This is what we’re up against,” Brewer said. “We’re all fighting for the same very small pool of candidates.”
Brewer said that her Human Resources Coordinator Michael Ngadi traveled across New York for two months recruiting applicants. “This is the most we’ve ever recruited,” Brewer said.
According to Ngadi, all 700 districts in the state are competing for the same teachers. Those districts are also up against schools from Florida and California, which use, among other things, their states’ warm climates to attract applicants. “There are so many barriers that are impacting how we recruit and impacting the entire teaching profession, but we’ve just got to work through it,” Ngadi said.
The inability to fill certain positions has resulted in both less educational opportunities for students and more work piled onto teachers’ plates. A two-section technology course was collapsed into one because an additional teacher wasn’t hired. Brewer also said that multiple teachers in the science department are teaching six classes at once.
Brewer said that one possible long-term solution to the teaching shortage is to encourage current students to become educators. “Everybody that is part of education needs to really be focusing on growing a pipeline of educators,” Brewer said.
Teacher shortages have been widespread across the state. According to a November 2021 report from the U.S. Department of Education, New York “has faced geographically widespread and persistent teacher shortages.”
An Inside Look at Ballston Spa’s Universal Pre-K Program
BALLSTON SPA — Jellyfish with googly eyes made from plastic bowls. Photos of students inside paper-plate hot air balloons. Paintings of cats, baseball players, and lizards displayed above tiny desks. The Ballston Area Community Center’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten classrooms were on display Monday night for an open house event that allowed parents to meet teachers and tour the facilities.
The free pre-K program is a partnership between the Ballston Area Community Center (BACC) and the Ballston Spa Central School District. Although applicants are not guaranteed a spot, the program has been successful in placing most kids. “We try to be as open and available for as many families as possible,” said Kathleen Skellie, the district’s Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. “There is no restriction, as long as you live in the district, as long as you can get yourself to and from, the cost is free,” added Colleen Russo, Executive Director of BACC.
The goal of the pre-K program is to ensure a smooth transition into kindergarten. Courses include pre-K versions of kindergarten phonics and math programs. “The beauty of the consistency is when our kinders get to us, they know their letters, they know their sounds,” said Skellie.
“We work on everything from social emotional to physical,” said Russo. “They have gross motor, fine motor, all sorts of different skills that they’re building.” There are also special programs such as yoga and music. “It really helps transition the kids from the classroom to a different activity, and then back to the classroom, like they’re expected to do in kindergarten,” Russo said.
The largest classroom can fit 18 students, while smaller rooms have 14 or 16. The earliest drop-off is 9 a.m., and pickup is at 2 p.m. BACC also offers an after-care program that goes until 6 p.m. After-care does have a fee, although financial assistance may be available to families that qualify.
Registration opened on Monday. Online registration is available at bscsd.org/Page/13659. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2024. If there are more applicants than available spots, a random lottery will occur. Those not selected in this lottery will be placed on a waiting list. A letter confirming acceptance or rejection from the program will be mailed to families by March 15.
Any questions about the Universal Pre-Kindergarten program can be directed to the district’s Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 518-884-7195, ext. 1374. For additional information, visit bscsd.org/Page/13659.
Ballston Spa Elementary Students Fill Up “Kindness Jars”
BALLSTON SPA — Students from Malta Ave Elementary celebrated kindness by filling up “jars” with messages written on post-it notes. As part of the school’s Great Kindness Challenge, a note is added to a “jar” every time a student or staff member does something kind. The notes included messages such as “made a new friend on the bus” and “helped someone get class materials.”
