SaratogaBride.com is relaunching! 

The bridal website, owned by Saratoga Publishing, is the place to go for anyone in the wedding planning process. Whether you’re thinking about engagement, recently engaged, or have been planning your wedding for awhile, there’s something for every bride and groom.

The website follows the Saratoga Bride magazine, and along with being a digital companion to each issue, can offer more information and perspectives at regularly updated intervals. It also signifies the expanding market of the Saratoga Bride brand from south of Albany, up to Plattsburgh, and into eastern Vermont.

The Saratoga Bride website offers a variety of advice, ideas, and information to couples at any stage. Website articles range from how to know if your significant other is “the one,” how to plan a great proposal, and how to choose the perfect barn-wedding venue. 

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The website’s new look and design is thanks to Mike Nelson, who co-owns SaratogaBride.com with Saratoga Publishing owner Chad Beatty. “Our number one goal is to be the best resource in the region to brides,” said Nelson. “We’re very excited about this relaunch, and think it’s a great tool and resource for anyone in the stages of engagement and wedding planning.”

Beatty also expressed his enthusiasm for the website. “I am very excited to offer a bridal website that matches the quality and visual appeal of our award winning Saratoga Bride magazine,” he said. “The partnership with Mike is a win/win for everyone involved. Mike has the technical expertise and skillset to deliver an exceptional online product. We have the name recognition, content and background, and the readers now have a high-end bridal website for all of their wedding planning.”

“With Mike at the helm of SaratogaBride.com, and Chris Bushee [Managing Editor at Saratoga Publishing] at the helm of Saratoga Bride magazine, I can’t think of a better team to deliver exceptional bridal products to the upstate region,” said Beatty. 

For more information, check out SaratogaBride.com, and be on the lookout for the next issue of Saratoga Bride magazine, out Feb. 21. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Herzog Law Firm, P.C., is pleased to announce the addition of Daniel S. Glaser, Esq. to head its growing real estate division. In addition to Glaser, the firm has also expanded its local footprint by opening a new office in Clifton Park. The office, coupled with Herzog’s other locations in Albany, Saratoga Springs, and Kingston, will help Herzog continue to grow its Estate Planning, Elder Law and Real Estate Practice throughout the Capital Region, North Country, and Hudson Valley.

Glaser spent the past 11 years building and managing his own law firm. Glaser concentrates his practice in residential and commercial real estate representing buyers, seller, and lenders while also handling title insurance. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Real Property Section of the New York State Bar Association. 

Herzog Law Firm P.C., which has been providing legal services since 1946, has been dedicated to providing clients with custom legal advice and counsel. The firm primarily focuses on Estate Planning, Elder Law/Medicaid Planning, Estate Administration, Tax Planning and Real Estate. Over the last several years, it has turned its attention to other  supporting areas such as Matrimonial Law, Corporate Law, and Litigation as additional ways to give its clients a superior level of knowledge and service.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mary Solomons has been named executive director of Saratoga Hospital Foundation, responsible for hospital fundraising and other development activities.

Solomons combines extensive experience with a longstanding commitment to the Saratoga region. The Saratoga Springs resident served for more than two decades in positions of increasing responsibility at Skidmore College, where she developed and expanded the donor relations program, set fundraising records and laid the foundation for continued growth.

Solomons comes to Saratoga Hospital Foundation from the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Albany, where she served as executive director of development. Previously, she was executive director of donor relations and campaign events, and leadership gift officer at Skidmore.

An accomplished writer and speaker, Solomons shares her expertise at conferences, seminars and via webinars. She has served on the boards of the Saratoga County Arts Council, Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation and the Association of Donor Relations Professionals. She is a graduate of Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — As part of Fingerpaint’s continued commitment to bring forward the best opportunities to their clients, the full-service health and wellness marketing agency has acquired 1798, a market access and commercialization firm located in La Jolla, CA.

Biopharmaceutical manufacturers have entered a new era wherein a primary consideration is now how their products will allow healthcare professionals to provide cost-efficient, value-driven, quality care to patients. Today, the expectation is that these life sciences companies expertly communicate well-thought-out, market-responsive data demonstrating not only the clinical benefit of a product, but also its impact on cost of care. The 60-person team at 1798 specializes in developing tailored market access and commercialization support programs for drugs at any stage in the product life cycle (from early to late product stages). The acquisition of this well-respected, experienced managed markets firm will allow Fingerpaint to offer their life sciences clients a wealth of new healthcare consulting services, including patient and provider access services, financial impact analysis and analytics, competitive intelligence, pull-through solutions, account leader support materials, and training materials.

“With the acquisition of 1798, Fingerpaint will be able to assure our life sciences clients that we can provide the full continuum of market access planning and commercialization support services to successfully assist them in building their brands and launching new products,” said Ed Mitzen, founder of Fingerpaint. “We are honored and excited that 1798 is joining the
Fingerpaint family.”

Roshawn Blunt, a former biopharmaceutical company senior executive with experience in hospital administration and the founder of 1798, stated, “It was a welcome opportunity to join a great creative powerhouse within the health and wellness industry, and we look forward to a synergistic relationship that will provide elegant solutions and superior outcomes for our clients.”

Mitzen and Blunt, along with the rest of the leadership team, will work hand-in-hand to continue delivering a competitive advantage and customized approaches to their clients, from early-stage commercialization to overcoming challenges that occur post-launch in the commercialization process.Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

On March 1, the Bag Waste Reduction Law will go into effect across New York State. The law is meant to encourage shoppers to use reusable bags and cut down on waste. However, some see it as a downside.

The new law bans plastic bags that would be provided to customers at any state retailer that collects sales tax. Instead, stores will provide paper bags at an extra cost of 5 cents, which is collected as a state tax. Stores will also begin to sell reusable cloth bags for customers to purchase.

Not every plastic bag is banned under this new law. Exempt bags include those used to wrap food products and plants, bags for collecting bulk items, garment bags, trash bags and most importantly for us, bags for delivering newspapers. Shoppers are also encouraged to keep using the current plastic bags that they already own.

Local businesses are already preparing for the change. Healthy Living Market and Café in Wilton has already instituted a plastic bag ban at their store and recently began charging 5 cents for paper bags earlier this week. However, their paper bag decision was made long before the law was passed, and the 5 cents they charge goes to a local food pantry.

“We’re really trying to be a step above the game,” said Duane Hendershot, General Manager at Healthy Living. “We don’t care about the nickels and dimes, we care about the environment and getting people to reuse their bags.” Healthy Living Market and Café also offers a 10-cent discount for anyone shopping with a reusable bag.

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In a recent Facebook post, Stewart’s Shops also announced that they would no longer have plastic bags, and encouraged members of the community to share their memories of the bags. Many commenters said they particularly liked Stewart’s plastic bags because they were thicker than other bags, and used them for carrying winter boots, cleaning cat litter, and using as garbage bags in small garbage pails.

While Stewart’s encouraged its customers to keep reusing their plastic bags, some expressed sadness and frustration about not being able to get new ones anymore. Others in the community think that the new law is a positive sign for the future of the environment. “A lot of people want their hands held and want things to be the same as when they were kids, but things change,” said local resident Daniel Abrams. “Maybe this makes life more inconvenient, but you just have to get another kind of bag. It may be annoying, but a law is a law.”

It is still unclear in the scientific community whether plastic bag bans are actually beneficial to the environment, or have unintended and harmful consequences. According to the Environmental Literacy Council, plastic bags take up less space in landfills than paper bags, creating less waste by volume. They are also reusable, unlike paper bags. However, plastic bags are not biodegradable and can be extremely harmful to marine life, clog sewer pipes and are some of the most common stray trash found on the planet.

Another study that examined a plastic bag ban in the state of California showed that after the ban was implemented, the sale of garbage bags skyrocketed. Garbage bags can be even more harmful than regular plastic bags, as they are made of thicker material and use more plastic. According to the study’s author, economist Rebecca Taylor, “…about 30% of percent of the plastic that was eliminated by the ban comes back in the form of thicker garbage bags.” Even reusable cloth bags are not without their harm, due to water use and other production factors.

No matter what bag consumers use, it may feel like a Catch-22. The best option for New Yorkers is to keep reusing whatever bags that they already have. Whether it’s plastic bags, cloth bags, tote bags, purses or backpacks, reusing what you already own is a better choice than buying something new. For more information on the NYS Plastic Bag Ban Law and other exempt plastic bags, visit www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/50034.html.

For Purposes of Clarification

In Saratoga Today’s Feb. 7 edition, the front-page article “So Long, Plastic!” omitted that at this time Saratoga County and the City of Saratoga Springs will not opt-in to the 5 cent paper bag tax under the Bag Waste Reduction Law.

MALTA – The Board of Directors of the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership has unanimously approved the appointment of Shelby Schneider as President and CEO.  Schneider had served as the interim President and CEO during the past month.

“Shelby has nearly two decades of experience working in economic development and is well respected among community and business leaders both in Saratoga County and throughout the state,” Saratoga Partnership Board Chairman Kevin Hedley said, in a statement.

Schneider has more than 17 years of experience in economic, workforce and community development in Saratoga County. Since 2016, she has served as Director of Business Retention and Expansion, and as Vice President of the Saratoga Partnership.  She had previously spent 13 years at the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, where she was a member of the economic development team that brought GLOBALFOUNDRIES to Saratoga County. In addition, she led one of the most successful Empire Zones in New York State, helping businesses throughout Saratoga County to access millions of dollars in state tax benefits to support expansion and growth.

“The Prosperity Partnership plays a vital role in the economic development strategy of the County and Shelby, a long-time fixture in the region’s economic development scene, is the right person to lead the organization into this new chapter,” Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Preston Allen said, in a statement.

The Prosperity Partnership is a Saratoga County-based economic development organization. According to a company statement, it has achieved success in siting the Key Capture Energy project, the state’s largest battery energy storage facility in Stillwater, New York; the transformation of the Proctors-Universal Preservation Hall, in Saratoga Springs, into a year-round, world-class arts and cultural venue in downtown Saratoga; Land Remediation Inc.’s new $1.8 million corporate headquarters in Waterford; the opening of Esperanto’s 2,700-square-foot Oboy commercial baker in Ballston Spa; and the $60 million adaptive reuse project that will transform the long-vacant 230,000-square-foot industrial building in the Village of Victory, into 186 workforce housing units and along with the availability of commercial space.

 Under Schneider’s leadership, the Saratoga Partnership team will continue Next Wave Communities Initiative which assists communities within Saratoga County in developing economic development plans tailored to their particular strengths, needs, and aspirations. The Saratoga Partnership has been working with the Towns of Moreau, Malta, Galway, and the Village of Ballston Spa by leading a series of activities including interviews with key government, business, and community stakeholders.

“I thank the Saratoga Partnership board for its confidence and support and am honored to have the opportunity to lead the organization. With a strong and growing economy in Saratoga County, I am excited to lend my experience to leverage new public and private investment and create jobs and opportunities in our communities. I look forward to working closely with the board and am committed to fully engaging all of our stakeholders including elected officials, and businesses and community leaders,” Schneider said.

“As an organization, we are well positioned to help Saratoga County’s communities plan for future success, by partnering with employers, developing our workforce, and serving as an advocate for initiatives that will drive a vibrant and prosperous future.”

NEW YORK — The New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs (NYSAAF) represents 52 Agriculture Fairs throughout New York State. The association’s objectives are to promote and encourage agriculture, horticulture, and the domestic arts through annual fairs, including material and educational development of agriculture and industry. 

NYSAAF fosters a spirit of cooperation among members and a place for the exchanging of ideas on management and problems of general interest, resulting in the continuing improvement of fairs and expositions throughout the state and providing a memorable experience for all fairgoers.

On Tuesday, January 21, it was announced that the New York State Fair would extend its dates to include five additional days. 

There are concerns about local County Fairs dates overlapping, as well as the limitations this may create for those respective agricultural showcases and entertainment packages. At this point, we do not know the impact that this will have on county fairs throughout the state during this transition. Next steps will be determined as we await further information from the New York State Department of Agriculture and the Governor’s Office.

SCHUYLERVILLE/ QUEENSBURY — Come hear from Jan King, owner of King Brothers Dairy, and John Bolster of Reduced-Fat Design, as they share insights into the re-birth of a family-owned business. Learn how this client/designer partnership used customer insight to craft a brand promise to provide farm-fresh quality dairy to the community through home delivery, restaurants, grocery stores and farm-based retail in Schuylerville. The event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at SUNY Adirondack’s Queensbury campus. Tickets are $15, free for students and faculty, and can be purchased online. For more information, please contact the Office of Business by calling 518-681-5613 or emailing businesscentral@sunyacc.edu.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Dr. Lee Ruotsi recently joined Saratoga Hospital as medical director of the hospital’s new wound healing program.

Ruotsi has more than 30 years of experience, most recently as medical director of Catholic Health Centers for Advanced Wound Healing in Western New York. He also served as a wound care and hyperbaric medicine consultant for Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, taught in several residency programs and was program director of the Wound Care Fellowship at Catholic Health System of Buffalo.

Wound healing specialists treat chronic and problematic wounds. These typically affect patients who have diabetes, poor circulation, nerve damage or other conditions, or those who have undergone radiation treatments. Elderly patients also are more likely to need wound care.

“We start by identifying both the cause of the wound and the barriers to healing,” Dr. Ruotsi said. “In addition, we focus on conditions in the wound itself, applying evidence-based care to get the wound into an optimal state of readiness to heal.”

The new wound-healing program is the latest example of Saratoga Hospital’s commitment to add programs and services to keep pace with a changing community.

“We are seeing a growing need for wound healing in the Saratoga region and expect that to continue to increase as the population ages,” said Dr. Richard Falivena, vice president and chief medical and physician integration officer at Saratoga Hospital.

“Dr. Ruotsi is the ideal choice to help us meet this need,” Falivena added. “He has extensive experience in growing and overseeing high-quality wound care programs. Equally important is the way he delivers that care, with an emphasis on dignity, respect and the human touch.”

Ruotsi is board certified in wound care by the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery and in undersea and hyperbaric medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. He also is certified as a wound specialist by the American Board of Wound Management.

In addition, Ruotsi serves on the board of directors of the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery and the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel. He is a member of the Wound Healing Society and the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. He also lectures nationally and internationally on topics related to wound care and hyperbaric medicine.

Ruotsi is in practice with Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Wound Healing. He sees patients at Saratoga Medical Park at Malta. For an appointment, call 518-886-7568.

SARATOGA COUNTY — What will you do with the extra day we all get this Leap Year, on Saturday, February 29? The Saratoga County’s Chamber’s idea — take part in Leap of Kindness Day and do something kind for someone else.

To help you participate, The Saratoga County’s Chamber reached out to local nonprofits in Saratoga County and asked them for some ideas. While you can wait to deliver any items you might donate, you are encouraged to start collection activities within your workplace or organization as soon as possible to maximize your participation and community impact.

The Chamber is also inviting their members and other local organizations to share their own creative ideas for participating in Leap of Kindness Day this year.

Leap of Kindness Day now happens every four years. The idea is to get as many people in our community as possible to use the extra day we all get in a Leap Year to do something kind for someone else. Our first Leap of Kindness Day was in 2016.

Locally across Saratoga County, hundreds of people take part in this celebration of kindness. Some cooked breakfast or delivered lunch for first responders. Others delivered flowers or socks to residents in local retirement homes. Local employers collected clothes, food and money for a wide range of local charities. Others acted individually sending a thank you card to someone who meant a lot to them.

Beyond Saratoga County, there were more than 50 chambers in 30 states that joined the Leap of Kindness Day celebration.

And now as we inch closer to Leap of Kindness Day 2020, our goal is to see that even more individuals and employers come together to do something kind for someone else using the extra day they will get on February 29.

Below are what some local nonprofits are requesting:

Habitat for Humanity
We are asking for the community to purchase a 2x4x8 or 2x6x8 and write a message about home ownership and/or affordable housing on it. Please drop it off at the ReStore, at 1373 Rt 9,  Moreau NY 12828. Contact Adam Feldman for details at 518-793-7484.

Mechanicville Area Community Center 
We could use any items, but what we are and will continue to be short on is cleaning products (laundry items, sponges, cleaning sprays, dish soap), personal care items (toothpaste, mouth wash, hand soap, full size shampoo / conditioner, deodorant) and pet supplies (dog and cat food, kitty litter, treats). Contact Megan Quillinan for details at 518-664-8322.

Franklin Community Center
A major need we have this time of year is individually packaged snack items to provide snacks to our 150+ Project Lift participants, as well as hygiene items like shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels and tooth brushes. These items are even more helpful than food items because they are things that SNAP benefits do not cover. Contact Kari Cushing at 518-587-9826.

CAPTAIN Community Human Services 
We have four offices that could use painting at our Glenville location. Painting help or donated paint would be appreciated Contact Ava Martin if you can help at 518-399-4624.

Shelters of Saratoga
Canned goods drive for our outreach program. Contact Rosemary Royce at 518-581-1097.

The Wesley Community 
Flowers, stuffed animals, etc. for residents. Contact Greg Dixon at 518-691-1419.

The Salvation Army
Collecting sock and underwear donations for all ages. Contact Bree Barker at 518-584-1640.

Backstretch Employee Service Team
Donation of jeans for backstretch workers at the Saratoga Race Course. Contact Nancy Underwood at 518-587-3720.

Below is a list of “acts of kindness” our member organizations are planning to do to join our Leap of Kindness Day celebration.

The Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs
Participate through the Rotary Home & Lifestyle Show by making donations of items at the show: Saturday, Feb. 29 will be socks and underwear, and Sunday, Mar. 1 will be pet items such as unused dog and cat beds, food, treats, toys and other pet paraphernalia. Bring your donations to the show and place them in the receptacle near our entry table.

First New York Federal Credit Union 
Collecting donations for Blue Star Mothers of America at all of their credit union branches.

The Chamber’s Veterans Business Council
Collecting donations for STRIDE, a veteran organization assisting disabled veterans.

The Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library
Working with CAPTAIN to collect funds to support their outreach programs, including their Street Outreach Project and Youth Shelter. Patrons can donate funds and they will receive a “frog” where they can write their name. It will be hung up on their window to create a visual frog pond.

The Saratoga County Chamber’s Board of Directors
Bringing fruit and vegetable platters to the overnight staffs at the Ellis Medicine Urgent Care Center in Clifton Park, and the Albany Med/Saratoga Hospital Urgent Care Center in Malta.

Please email or call the Saratoga County Chamber at 518-584-3255 to let us know how people can help your nonprofit organization as part of Leap of Kindness Day 2020. Please also share what you are doing with the chamber on Facebook. Every effort will be made to thank and publicly acknowledge all of the acts of kindness taking place in Saratoga County and beyond.