Attendees pose for photos at the 2024 Saratoga Hospital Gala at the Polo Meadows at the Saratoga Casino Hotel on July 31. Photos provided by Darlene Alvarado.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Hospital Gala, held at the Saratoga Casino Hotel on July 31, raised more than $418,000 in support of the Community Health Center.
“We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming generosity and support shown by our community,” said Jill VanKuren, CEO of Saratoga Hospital, in a statement. “These funds will significantly enhance the services and resources available at our Community Health Center, allowing us to better serve those in need.”
BALLSTON SPA — Just weeks after the first cannabis dispensary opened in Saratoga Springs, an application to open a dispensary in Ballston Spa was withdrawn from the village’s planning board review process.
Mayor Frank Rossi said that concerns over parking, increased traffic, and possible on-site consumption led to the application being pulled.
“While I am disappointed that this application has been withdrawn, the Village remains committed to ensuring a balance exists between business growth and the safety and concerns of our community,” Rossi wrote in a Facebook post. “I’m sure another cannabis dispensary will be proposed inside the Village limits at some point, and we all remain prepared to manage that process swiftly on our end.”
The application was made by Sachmarie Crowley of Saratoga Springs for Island Vibes Cannabis Dispensary, LLC. Crowley is the owner of Sasha’s of Saratoga, which offers adult and pediatric medical cannabis certifications, IV hydration therapy, vitamin injections, and chronic disease consultation.
The proposed dispensary would have been located at 303 Milton Avenue, the current home of Russell’s Deli. Deli owner Russell Shapiro called the withdrawn application “good news for our customers, bad news for us” in a Facebook post. Shapiro put his deli up for sale last year.
U.K. Members of Parliament Gill Furniss, Dan Carden, and Navendu Mishra visit the GlobalFoundries headquarters in Malta with U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko. Photo via the GlobalFoundries X account.
MALTA — U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko visited the GlobalFoundries headquarters in Malta last week, along with U.K. members of parliament Gill Furniss, Dan Carden, and Navendu Mishra. The group met with GlobalFoundries employees and toured the facility’s cleanroom.
Tonko hosted the MPs during their trip to the Capital Region as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. The MPs discussed potential areas of cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom with Tonko, according to a press release.
GlobalFoundries is a semiconductor manufacturer that received $1.5 billion in federal funds earlier this year. The company plans to build a new microchip fabrication plant in Malta.
Allerdice Building Supply presented Kelly’s Angels with a $4,975 donation on Wednesday morning outside the Allerdice Ace Hardware store in Malta. Photo by Super Source Media.
MALTA — Allerdice Building Supply announced this week that it is donating $4,975 to Kelly’s Angels, an organization dedicated to helping children who have lost a parent or sibling to cancer or other illness. The donation represents 100% of the proceeds from Allerdice’s annual golf outing.
“We are deeply honored to support Kelly’s Angels,” said Jon Swick, Manager of Malta and Milton Allerdice Ace Hardware Stores, in a statement. “Our annual golf outing is a tradition that not only brings our community together but also allows us to give back in a meaningful way. We believe in the incredible work that Kelly’s Angels is doing and are proud to contribute to their mission.”
Kelly’s Angels was founded by Mark Mulholland in honor of his late wife, Kelly, who lost her battle with cancer. The charity provides financial assistance and unique “Fun Grants” to children who have lost a parent or sibling.
Coffee Planet in Ballston Spa was purchased by current owner Kim Tribley in 2018. Photo via the company’s Facebook page.
BALLSTON SPA — Coffee Planet, located at 100 Milton Avenue in downtown Ballston Spa, celebrated six years under its current ownership on Saturday.
A statement posted to the company’s Facebook page said that owner and CEO Kim Tribley “has poured her heart and soul into creating a space that goes beyond serving coffee; she’s built a community where warmth, connection, and exceptional service are at the core of everything we do.”
Tribley purchased Coffee Planet from previous owner Cliff Baum in 2018. The shop celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Tribley was previously a sales rep at Chris’ Coffee in Latham.
A screenshot from the Saratoga 250 augmented reality preview app shows Benedict Arnold standing inside the Saratoga TODAY newsroom.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Benedict Arnold stood tall next to the water cooler in the Saratoga TODAY newsroom as he expressed his eagerness to repel British advances at the upcoming Battles of Saratoga. Or at least that’s how it looked on one reporter’s cell phone.
The Saratoga 250 Commission is using augmented reality and 3D animations of historic figures to help bring the “turning point” of the American Revolution to life. Upon downloading an app, cell phone users can “see” these animated characters standing in front of them via their phone’s camera. The characters then deliver first-person testimonies of their roles in the Battles of Saratoga, presenting history in an entertaining and technologically advanced fashion.
“You can stand next to an animation of Benedict Arnold and take your picture,” said Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian and chairperson of the Saratoga 250 Commission.
360XR, a digital storytelling company, is responsible for creating these augmented reality experiences. The company previously created similar animations for various historic sites on Long Island. One in particular, a driving tour of the Culper Spy Ring, caught Roberts’ attention.
“We liked all the different ways that they were telling the story and we decided that this is something that we would really like to have in Saratoga County,” Roberts said. “Not every place is a historic site where you can have staffing and signage and installations, so the idea of using technology was really great for us.”
After the second battle of Saratoga, when British General John Burgoyne was outnumbered and on the run, he headed about ten miles north to what is now Schuylerville. With the use of augmented reality, this trail of the British retreat would come alive at various sites where visitors could hear stories told by animated, historic characters.
Some of the characters being brought to life by 360XR and Saratoga 250 are Benedict Arnold, John Burgoyne, and Lady Frederika Riedesel, who wrote memoirs of her experiences in the war.
“We know a lot about what was going on during the siege because of her writings,” Roberts said. “She gives some wonderful perspectives; ones that we wouldn’t necessarily hear from a military perspective.”
Riedesel, the wife of the commander of German forces at Saratoga, took shelter in the Marshall House in present-day Schuylerville. In the house’s cellar, she helped care for women and wounded soldiers.
“Here, I stand, thousands of miles from home with my three young daughters,” says an animated version of Riedesel in a donor preview video created by 360XR. “We live amidst a paradox. Nature’s beauty surrounds us, yet the harsh realities of wilderness travel and the brutal truths of war shape our days.”
These words, spoken by an actress portraying Riedesel, come directly from the actual writings of Lady Frederika. But when it comes to other historic characters who didn’t always leave behind written records of their thoughts, a certain amount of creativity is required to, quite literally, put words in their mouths.
“We’re interpreting their position or perspective, but we’re trying to be as accurate as you can be in a process like this,” Roberts said.
As of now, a few demos of these historic characters have been created. But Saratoga 250 hopes to make more of them.
“Technology is not cheap, so [Campaign for Saratoga 250] is working on funding so that we can include more stories and implement what we have,” Roberts said.
The hope is to have all of these augmented reality experiences ready in time for the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga, which will be celebrated in 2027.
“I hope that using a new way to tell stories will interest a larger audience,” Roberts said. “We’re really just trying to reach more people and tell the story in an informative and entertaining way.”
Sweeney’s Restaurant in Schuylerville has been renamed Mama Bear’s Diner after a change in ownership. Logo via the restaurants’ Facebook pages.
SCHUYLERVILLE — Since 2016, the diner located at 106 Broad Street in Schuylerville has been known to locals as Sweeney’s Restaurant. But starting July 31, the establishment changed ownership and revealed its new name: Mama Bear’s Diner.
Former owners Ed and Amanda Bergin wrote in a Facebook post that “for the last 8 years, we have had the pleasure to serve this community doing what we love. We have decided that it is time for us to step down and give someone else the same opportunity.”
The new owner might be familiar to Sweeney’s regulars. Ashley Comeaux, a waitress at Sweeney’s, took over the business from her former employers.
“I’ll be in the back baking yummy treats today but dad, a.k.a. the coffee guy, is ready to serve you some delicious food,” Comeaux said in a Facebook post. “Can’t wait to see you all!”
Mama Bear’s Diner is open from 7am to 2pm, Wednesday through Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The LA Group, a landscape architecture, engineering, and planning firm based in Saratoga Springs, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The LA Group has served a diverse clientele ranging from federal and state agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and New York State Parks to educational institutions such as West Point and Skidmore College. Local projects include collaborations with Saratoga Hospital, Saratoga Regional YMCA, and the Wellspring Headquarters in Malta.
“Our journey over the past five decades has been defined by our unwavering dedication to creating spaces that enrich communities and elevate experiences,” said David Miller, RLA, Principal at The LA Group in a statement. “We are incredibly proud of the impact we’ve had and look forward to continuing to innovate and serve our clients.”
“Goose on the Green” graphic via the Western Sun Foundation. Photo of Goose via the band’s website.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Last year, the jam band Goose had their biggest headlining performance to date at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). This year, when the band returns to SPAC for a two-night run in September, a fan-created charity is coming along to raise funds for a local nonprofit.
The Western Sun Foundation will host its first in-person fundraiser at the Saratoga Spa Golf Course on Saturday, September 7. The “Goose on the Green” event nearly sold out in only a week, with 72 people already slated to attend. As of Tuesday afternoon, the event had two tee times remaining for Goose fans looking to hit the links prior to the band’s second show.
The golf outing includes the long strange putt contest (a nod to the Grateful Dead lyrics, “what a long, strange trip it’s been”) and some soon-to-be-announced, Goose-related prizes.
The local nonprofit beneficiary of the fundraiser has yet to be determined. Western Sun Foundation President Sarah Blazincic said that Saratoga-area and Capital Region charities should contact her to be considered. The beneficiary will be officially selected by the foundation on August 15.
Western Sun was launched by a group of Goose fans in 2022. The Goose community, akin to the Phish and Grateful Dead fan bases that came before it, often attends multiple shows every year, obsessing over the setlists, solos, and sound mixes of each tour. Goose’s popularity has been steadily increasing over the past few years, especially after performances with Phish’s Trey Anastasio and the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir seemingly cemented them as the next great jam band act.
“We decided to take this big energy that was Goose and the music we get from it, transform that into action, and raise money for the communities that we’re traveling through,” said Blazincic.
Phish’s Mockingbird Foundation and the Grateful Dead’s Rex Foundation both served as examples for Goose fans looking to give back. “Just like lots of other communities have done before us, we wanted to capitalize on the Goose energy that is so quickly rising and do some good with it,” Blazincic said.
One example of Western Sun’s good deeds came during Goose shows at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in October 2023.
“We partnered with an organization called Feel the Beat,” Blazincic said. “They are an organization that provides music education and music therapy for children with disabilities and people who are hard of hearing. So they actually have vibrating dance floors that they’re putting in venues around Colorado. They make sure that there are music interpreters and all different types of programming to bring music education and therapy to people who typically don’t have access to it.”
Western Sun raised $6,000 and launched a 30-day awareness and visibility campaign for Feel the Beat. The fan foundation has also financially supported nonprofits such as Girls Rock Detroit, a music education program that teaches girls how to play instruments and create a band. Girls Rock Detroit participants were invited to attend a Goose soundcheck and watch the group live.
Blazincic said that Goose band members have been “very supportive” of the foundation’s initiatives over the past couple years.
“We work with them side by side to make sure that we are doing things that they want to see,” Blazincic said. “This golf outing was one of them.”
“Goose on the Green” will take place on Saturday, September 7 at the Saratoga Spa State Park Golf Club at 60 Roosevelt Drive in Saratoga Springs. For more information on registration and sponsorships, visit app.eventcaddy.com/events/goose-on-the-green.
The Western Sun Foundation is looking for beneficiaries in the Saratoga area that meet the following criteria:
• Classified as a “Public Charity” with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (individual or private foundations are not eligible)
• Operating budget less than $1,000,000
• Focuses on one of the following areas: music education; music therapy; safety, health, and personal wellbeing of women and children; or climate action and environmental sustainability
Local organizations that meet these criteria can contact Sarah Blazincic at westernsunfoundation@gmail.com.
Impressions set up a pop-up tent while interior electrical work was being completed.
If you happened to drive down Broadway during the past two weeks you may have noticed a peculiar sight: a handful of stores closed during race season! The culprit: Water and fire.
On June 19, a six-inch water pipe failed, flooding the basement of 19 Phila St. and 368 Broadway. The flooding caused an electrical fire which destroyed the electrical infrastructure of both buildings.
The Saratoga Springs Fire Department and The city’s Department of Public Works responded quickly, assisting residents and pumping water out of basements.
While very little damage was done to the buildings, all electrical infrastructure and more than 30 individual meters required replacement.
MTG Electric worked around-the-clock to complete the job so residents could return home, and business owners could resume operations. National Grid, along with other departments, were also very helpful with this unique fire.
While interior work was being completed, businesses were forced to think ‘outside of the box’. One of those shops was Impressions, who opened a pop-up tent on the sidewalk with a sampling of their overall offerings.
As of press time all work is complete and both buildings are open for business again.
“We are incredibly excited to be able to be open again and a truly appreciative of all of the support we have had over the last five weeks.” stated impressions co-owner Maddy Zanetti. “From customers to the Roohan employees, MTG Electric, and our fellow businesses; it has been overwhelming and humbling to have so many reach out and offer assistance in some way.”
While the downtime varied from as little as 10 days, some businesses were out of power for four or five weeks.
The following businesses were affected by the fire and welcome your support:
The Content Agency, New Attitudes Salon, Magic Moon, Impressions, Catholic Charities, Kettlewell & Edwards, The Shoppe, Kiki Hairslayer, The Funding Store, J B Squared Enterprise, Maryam Harri DDS, Lyrical Ballad, Miss Scarlett, Trattoria Fortunata, and Heather Satkowski.
