SCHUYLERVILLE —The Saratoga County 250th Commission announced the 3rd Annual Women in War Symposium will be held on May 4 from 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Old Saratoga American Legion Post, 6 Clancy St. in Schuylerville. As an enhancement to the Symposium, a bus tour of historic sites will be offered May 5.

General registration for the symposium is $130 and includes a light breakfast and buffet lunch. The guided bus tour is $75 and includes a box lunch.  Those interested can register for both the symposium and tour or just one event by visiting the Saratoga250 website, www.saratoga250.com/events/annual-women-in-war-symposium. 

The Women in War Symposium features dynamic speakers who will present on topics related to the roles women played during the American Revolution. Whether patriot or loyalist, wealthy or impoverished, females were deeply affected by the war in all aspects of their lives. Additionally, exhibitors, book-signings, augmented reality demonstrations and more will be on display throughout the day. 

Departing from Saratoga National Historical Park Visitor Center, Sunday’s event will be a curated tour with expert guide Pat Niles. The tour will take place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., highlighting several lesser-known stories of women in the Saratoga Campaign. 

SPEAKERS: Christine T. Valosin: Revolutionary War Women at Schuyler’s Saratoga Estate, 1775 – 1783; Friederike Baer: With the Battle of Saratoga our Misfortunes Began, Friederike Riedesel in the War for American Independence; Vincent Albert Carretta: Phillis Wheatley Peters on War and Peace; Elizabeth Mauer: Martha Washington Goes to Camp; Holly A. Mayer: Taking Fire: Margaret Corbin at Fort Washington; Bruce M. Venter: Head of Faculty and Master of Ceremonies.

America’s Turning Point is a multi-year celebration of Saratoga County’s pivotal role in the American Revolution culminating in 2027 with the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga. To register or for more information, visit www.Saratoga250.com.

SCHUYLERVILLE —The Saratoga County 250th Commission announced the 3rd Annual Women in War Symposium will be held on May 4 from 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Old Saratoga American Legion Post, 6 Clancy St. in Schuylerville. As an enhancement to the Symposium, a bus tour of historic sites will be offered May 5.

General registration for the symposium is $130 and includes a light breakfast and buffet lunch. The guided bus tour is $75 and includes a box lunch.  Those interested can register for both the symposium and tour or just one event by visiting the Saratoga250 website, www.saratoga250.com/events/annual-women-in-war-symposium. 

The Women in War Symposium features dynamic speakers who will present on topics related to the roles women played during the American Revolution. Whether patriot or loyalist, wealthy or impoverished, females were deeply affected by the war in all aspects of their lives. Additionally, exhibitors, book-signings, augmented reality demonstrations and more will be on display throughout the day. 

Departing from Saratoga National Historical Park Visitor Center, Sunday’s event will be a curated tour with expert guide Pat Niles. The tour will take place from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., highlighting several lesser-known stories of women in the Saratoga Campaign. 

SPEAKERS: Christine T. Valosin: Revolutionary War Women at Schuyler’s Saratoga Estate, 1775 – 1783; Friederike Baer: With the Battle of Saratoga our Misfortunes Began, Friederike Riedesel in the War for American Independence; Vincent Albert Carretta: Phillis Wheatley Peters on War and Peace; Elizabeth Mauer: Martha Washington Goes to Camp; Holly A. Mayer: Taking Fire: Margaret Corbin at Fort Washington; Bruce M. Venter: Head of Faculty and Master of Ceremonies.

America’s Turning Point is a multi-year celebration of Saratoga County’s pivotal role in the American Revolution culminating in 2027 with the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga. To register or for more information, visit www.Saratoga250.com.

Susan B. Fassett (nee Thompson) 

Susan B. Fassett (nee Thompson) 

BALLSTON SPA — Susan B. Fassett (nee Thompson), age 79, of Ballston Spa, passed away on April 16, 2024, after suffering a stroke. She was born on Novem- bar 30, 1944, in Buffalo and grew up in Dansville, N.Y., before leaving her hometown to go to college at the State University at Albany. Susan was a beloved high school math teacher, beginning her career at Owen D. Young Central School and then moving to and retiring from Schuylerville Central School. She was a fun-loving woman who enjoyed spending time with her friends and family. Susan was an avid walker. You’d find her out walking around her neighborhood, the village of Ballston Spa, the Saratoga Spa State Park, and anywhere else someone invited her to go. She rarely refused an offer to go for a walk. She was a regular at the Saratoga YMCA and was always recruiting people to join her rowing team. She was closing in on 11,000,000 meters rowed since they started tracking. She also won her age bracket in many of our area road races. There aren’t many 5ks, 10ks, or half marathons locally that she didn’t participate in. She also completed multiple marathons. She enjoyed hiking in the Adirondacks and summited numerous mountains. At home you could find her in her flower gardens trying to keep the weeds at bay or sitting outside watching the birds on her many bird feeders. When time would allow, she fostered many kittens throughout the years from the Saratoga County Animal Shelter. She and her husband traveled extensively and saw many beautiful places and their favorite was Puerto Rico. 

Susan was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Malta and the Saratoga Senior Center. Susan is survived by her daughters, Christine (Ken) Wright of Ballston Spa, and Katherine Culbert of Houston, Texas; sisters, Donna Gridley and Bonnie Wolfer of Dansville, N.Y.; grandchildren, Whitney and Nicholas Wright and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean Fassett; parents, Lois and Howard Thompson; and sister, Gloria Berg. Susan will be deeply missed by all who knew her, and she will live on through her organ donation and her anatomical gift to Albany Medical College. Her family would like to thank the nurses and medical staff at Albany Medical Center for their excellent care. A service to celebrate Susan’s life will be held at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Malta on May 18, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or Friends of Saratoga Spa State Park.

SARATOGA — Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-Saratoga, this month introduced legislation to require American flags displayed on federal property or procured by federal agencies to be manufactured completely in the U.S. from U.S. materials.

“The American flag is an enduring symbol that represents the freedoms we enjoy as Americans and a way to show our patriotism,” said Stefanik, in a statement. “Several small businesses across America, including in upstate New York and the North Country, share their American pride by making and selling flags. I am proud to support their important work and ensure American flags used by the federal government are completely made in the USA.”

The Make American Flags in America Act also requires the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a study on the enforcement and violations of country-of-origin labeling requirements for American flags sold in the U.S. to ensure integrity of American-made products for consumers.

According to the Flag Manufacturers Association of American, 94% of American flags are manufactured in the U.S. Currently, 100% of flags bought by the Department of Defense are manufactured in the U.S., but other federal agencies are only required to purchase flags that are only 50% manufactured in the U.S.

ALBANY — Varsity wrestlers across New York State traveled to Albany’s MVP Arena this past weekend for the NYSPHSAA Individual State Championships on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26. A handful of wrestlers from Burnt Hills, Ballston Spa, and Saratoga Springs competed for a spot on the podium. 

The state championships are set up with wrestleback brackets, which gives wrestlers who lose in the championship bracket a second chance; wrestlers who lose to championship bracket losers are eliminated. 

Burnt Hills, Section 2 Class B Champions, had 6 out of 7 wrestlers advance to the second day of the tournament:

Liam Carlin, 3rd seed in the 126-bracket, made it to the semifinal round of the championship, where he fell to 2nd seed Brayden Fahrback from Mount Sinai in a 3-0 decision. Carlin took 4th overall after a 2-0 decision in the 3rd place match against Isaias Torres from Queens. 

Gabriel Goss, seeded 6th, and Tyler Rossini, seeded 10th, battled back for 7th place finishes in their respective back brackets of 132 and 138. Tyler Whitley (110) placed 8th in his back bracket. 

Rossini and Ryan Buthfer, who competed in the 172-bracket the first day of the tournament, are the only seniors on the team. 

Three Ballston Spa wrestlers made it to the state tournament, and all placed in their wrestleback brackets: 

Ralph Keeney, 4th seed in the 102-bracket, placed 5th overall. Keeney lost his first match by a 4-2 decision against Massapequa Park’s Carlos Arango. Keeney then battled back with four wins in the back bracket before falling to 2nd seed Luke Satriano from Valley Central. Keeney got a second shot against Arango in the 5th place match and was secured his spot on the podium with a 4-2 decision in his favor. 

Connor Gregory, seeded 5th, and Darrien Insogna, seeded 12th, had 7th place finishes for Ballston Spa. 

The Blue Streaks also sent three wrestlers to states: 

Sachiel Chuckrow (16) and Gordon Murray (152) were eliminated during the first day of the tournament, but Taylor Beaury, seeded 12th, fell out of the back bracket after a 2-1 decision in favor of his opponent, Starpoint’s Griffin LaPlante who was the No. 1 seed in the 132-bracket.

The NYSPHSAA Individual State Championships conclude the 2021-2022 wrestling season for most New York high school varsity programs. The High School Nationals, where varsity wrestlers from across the country compete to become All-Americans, is the next, taking place March 25-27 in Virginia Beach, VA.