By Michael Hallisey

Before you raise a pint to Dublin this weekend, let’s take a moment to recall the time when Saratoga Springs’ West Side home was nicknamed exactly that.

For a stretch of the city’s nineteenth-century history, the neighborhood west of Broadway was dubbed “Dublin,” a reflection of the Irish immigrant families who settled in the West Side Historic District as laborers during the Spa City’s transformation into one of America’s great resort destinations.

Those arrivals coincided with Saratoga’s rapid growth in the mid-1800s. Railroads expanded, grand hotels multiplied, and the city’s mineral springs drew summer crowds from New York and Boston.

This new resort economy needed workers — in hotels, restaurants, rail yards, and the trades that kept a seasonal tourist city running. Enter, Irish immigrants.

As captured by the Saratoga Arts District, the West Side — particularly around Beekman Street — developed into a working-class neighborhood where immigrant families lived close to the industries that employed them, from the hotels that catered to summer visitors to the railroads that carried them north.

The Catholic Church became the center of that community life. St. Peter’s Parish, established in the 1830s, served Saratoga’s earliest Catholic immigrants, many of them Irish. As the congregation grew, the Albany Diocese eventually created St. Clement’s Parish in 1917 (80 years later).

These parishes were more than houses of worship. In immigrant neighborhoods across the Northeast, Catholic churches functioned as civic anchors — places where families gathered, information traveled, and traditions carried forward in a new country.

@oldvintagenewyork

Old Vintage New York on Instagram: "[SPECIAL IN COLOR 4] When S…

The Irish presence in Saratoga also reflected a broader regional story. By the late nineteenth century, Irish immigrants formed one of the largest ethnic groups in the Capital Region.

By then, St. Patrick’s Day had already begun to evolve from a religious observance into a public expression of Irish identity in American cities — marked by Mass in the morning and celebrations later in the day.

Michael Hallisey is the founder/editor of Ish Bulletin; subscribe today to stay up-to-date on all things 518.

Housing isn’t just a headline in Saratoga County.

It’s the house you grew up in, the apartment someone is trying to afford. It’s the neighborhood you hope your kids will come back to someday.

But if you’ve tried to follow housing news lately, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: Most of the information hitting your screen isn’t actually designed to help you understand what’s happening here.

National outlets run on traffic. In that world, “Saratoga County is steady” isn’t a story — but “The Housing Bubble Is Bursting” is. And those headlines are usually built on national averages.

But you don’t live in a national average.

You live in Upstate New York.

And while social media can be a great place for conversation, it’s also where rumors and half-truths travel faster than facts. Algorithms reward engagement, not accuracy.

I’ve spent nearly 20 years working in and around housing, watching people try to make sense of a market that directly affects their lives. What I’ve learned is that the most important real estate stories are almost always local.

That’s why I’m joining the Dispatch.

The Dispatch isn’t built on clicks. It’s built on subscribers — people who care about what’s actually happening in their community. That means our incentives are different. We don’t need to chase the loudest headline. We can focus on what’s real

Here’s what you can expect from me:

• If something is my opinion, I’ll say so.
• If it comes from data, I’ll show you the source.
• If the takeaway is reassuring, I’ll tell you that. If it isn’t, I’ll tell you that too.
• Above all, it will always be honest.

I’m grateful to be doing that work with the Dispatch, and for you.

And if you find it valuable, I hope you’ll share it with a neighbor or a friend. Because the stronger our local conversations are, the stronger our community will be.

For more information visit sothebysrealty.com/fourseasons and contact Allison Bradly via text at 518-339-7313 or email at Allison.bradley@sothebysrealty.com.

Emerging from your winter cocoon and looking for a full health & wellness glow-up? Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Health Coach Kelly Messier — founder/owner of Saratoga’s The Nutrition Connection — is ready for you. “My mission is to empower adults who feel like they’ve tried everything yet still aren’t seeing the changes they desire,” she says of her specialized wellness practice. “Every client is approached as a unique individual, honoring true bio‑individuality rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all model of health.”

Q: What makes The Nutrition Connection different?

A: Its core belief that the body isn’t broken—it just needs the right inputs to heal, regain balance, and thrive. We each carry our own combination of genetics, health history, environmental exposures, stressors, illnesses and dietary patterns. Because of this, the path toward improved health looks different for everyone, even though certain foundational elements support all of us.

At The Nutrition Connection, we look beneath the surface of symptoms—fatigue, weight gain, cravings, brain fog, poor sleep, joint discomfort, digestive issues, inflammation, hormone imbalances and more. Addressing the underlying causes, rather than masking symptoms, is essential for meaningful and lasting progress.

Q: What services do you offer?

A: My most popular offering is a four‑month program, The Energy and Metabolism Reset.

I also have one‑on‑one Nutrition and Health Coaching (a single introductory session is available) — and small‑group sessions through one‑hour Lunch and Learns for friends, colleagues, or community groups. Each session focuses on essential health foundations that benefit everyone and serves as a powerful jumpstart to root‑level wellness.

Q: What’s your background in nutrition?

A: It all began with my own health challenges in my mid‑40s. As I worked to understand symptoms like fatigue, cravings and hormonal shifts, Nutritional Therapy helped me recognize that my body wasn’t failing—it was signaling that it needed support. I went on to complete my certification through the Nutritional Therapy Association and became a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.

Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?

A: Witnessing the moment clients begin to connect the dots between their nutrition, lifestyle and the signals their bodies are sending.

For more info or to contact Kelly about private or group coaching visit thenutritionconnectionllc.com.

This story was brought to you by…

I’ve been all in on Saratogian Molly Dunn and her “mind-bendy” debut novel, The Circuitry We Share.

• A local Saratogian making waves in the world.

• Creative thinker doing new things, her way.

• Books. We do books here.

I was out of town and had to miss her big night at Northshire — luckily, my buddy Seen in Saratoga was on the scene.

“It was standing room only,” reports our favorite anonymous photographer. “From AI and the Singularity, to psychopaths sucking the life from empaths in relationships… everyone was listening closely to the conversation happening between Camille [Daniels, interviewer] and Molly.

“It was also delightful to learn about her writing process, which involved hand-writing the first draft and letting the story tell itself. In a way, she tapped into the collective consciousness to achieve her writing style.”

Keep reading!

(EXCLUSIVE): Saratogian author’s NYC takeover

To buy The Circuitry We Share locally, visit Northshire Bookstore at 424 Broadway or order at northshire.com.

Now cb20, a tech firm headquartered in Saratoga Springs, has been ranked the No. 1 on the Albany Business Review’s 2026 list of the Capital Region’s largest cybersecurity firms, underscoring the company’s rapid growth and demonstrated leadership in security-first IT and audio visual solutions.

In addition, the company was named to CRN’s 2026 Security 100 list, a national recognition highlighting top security-focused technology providers as demand for cybersecurity solutions continues to surge. This positions the company among North America’s leading security-driven managed service providers as cybersecurity becomes foundational to enterprise growth.

This news was brought to you by…

For more of Seen in Saratoga’s photos, visit Instagram.

Philip A. Glotzbach, Skidmore College President Emeritus, says that students often arrive at college with a simple expectation: pay tuition, complete the requirements, leave with a credential.

And that “transactional culture” must be changed.

“It’s produced what I call the ATM model of college,” he told members of the Saratoga Torch Club and Saratoga AI during the inaugural episode of Torch Radio (the public is invited). “You spend four years making deposits into the slot, and then four years later you withdraw a certificate. That’s a pretty thin view of what college can be all about.”

Soberingly, says Glitzbach, who retired from Skidmore in 2020 after 17 years as its president, “ATM performs its function efficiently, but no one expects it to shape their character.”

Ouch.

“The real question of college, then,” reads an article about the talk, “is not simply what students learn, but what they learn about themselves while learning it.”

Glotzbach has written down his thoughts in a new book, Embrace Your Freedom. He covers all kinds of modern issues in the world of academia (hot topic alert) and how it must prepare students for the real, complicated world of the digital age.

“Earning a degree is like earning a black belt,” he said. “It doesn’t mean you’ve finished learning. It means you’re finally ready to begin.”

Creating new urgency on this front: tech.

“The danger isn’t that technology exists,” he said. “The danger is that we stop doing the thinking ourselves.

“If you outsource the work of thinking, eventually you lose the ability to evaluate what you’re given.”

To read the full event coverage and find out about the next ones, visit torchclub.org. To buy Glotzbach’s book, visit northshire.com.

I love a sedate mall walk. No, I’m not pumping my arms and walking as fast as I would if I were late for meeting. (Although many of my fellow striders are).

Instead, I’m catching up with friends, or keeping myself busy while my teenage children and their friends cavort in the arcade, peruse the lotions and potions at Ulta, hit me up for cash to buy cookies at Saratoga Dessert Bar, all at the conveniently located Wilton Mall. (And I can hit up BJ’s and Target after too!)

I’m not alone.

This relatively brutal winter has stirred up some major cabin fever among Saratogians, who (anecdotally anyway) have really hit the mall in force this year, tying up their sneakers for laps with friends. Who can blame them: no ice, even surfaces, people to socialize with — plus coffee and cookie opportunities and a touch of nostalgia.

“Mall walking” is officially trending in the 12866.

“The temperature is a big win,” says devoted strider Christa Hyland, who was chaperoning a trio of kids, returning things and shopping at Old Navy, reviewing requests for Noobies—all while hanging out with her own friends and racking up those steps.

“Plus, you get your dose of Vitamin D,” says Laura Tilton, pointing to the skylights.

Not everyone is ready to drink the mall walk Kool-Aid though. My father, a longtime member of the AARP, asked me: “Isn’t it for old people? I mean mall walking? Really?”

Yes Chris, really.

He’s right to be skeptical. Mall walking has been a national trend for a few years, stemming from Gen Z’s love for social workout trends — and throwbacks. So yes, mall walking is old. But nostalgia is in, and in Upstate New York it became a necessity, too, thanks to this epic cold snap inspiring a new crop of walkers ready to hit the mall like it’s 1985.

Like my dad, Dan De Federicis, a former New York State trooper and publisher of the Saratoga Report, is also unmoved by the charms of the mall walk.

“I did it once, and that was enough,” he says. “My daughter was in a cheerleading class, so I said, ‘Why not get some exercise?’ My knees are now screaming in pain. Maybe I wasn’t wearing the right shoes. My friends love it, but it’s not for me.”

I’m on Dan’s friends’ side.

For me, I get gossip, mom points and a climate-controlled, safe and even environment sans ice. The thought, “Will I break a hip?” never enters my addled, perimenopausal mind. And I can reward myself with a cookie at the end.

I will admit though: I look forward to the time—seemingly many many weeks into the future—when the snow will melt, and I can walk outside without fear of hitting the deck, or the 20-minute project of bundling up.

“The future of daily news in the Spa City.”

You might recognize my tagline, but how much do I really believe that newsletters, in my case the Dispatch, are the future of journalism?

So much that I’ve bet my livelihood on it.

The Saratoga Torch Club invited me to be their guest speaker Monday night, asking me to hark back to when you got the same print newspaper as your neighbor, explain what the heck happened — and then share my ideas for what’s next.

I began my ode-to-newsletters by diving straight into why local news is so important: Local news readers (like you!) are more likely to be involved in their communities and know their neighbors, according to the Pew Research Center. Reading stories about people and businesses you know helps weave the connective tissue that we crave.

“The disappearance of shared information produces a quiet civic loneliness,” reads an article that the club posted about my talk. “People still live near one another, but they inhabit different informational worlds. And yet Tegnelia does not view this moment as an ending. She sees it as a reset.”

I do!

“The newsletter, in her view, represents a structural correction — a return to direct communication between journalist and reader,” the coverage continues. “Unlike social platforms, newsletters are not subject to algorithmic invisibility. They arrive intentionally, in a reader’s inbox, carrying the unmistakable imprint of a human voice.”

They mention that my first Substack inspiration was none other than Dan Rather — who at 89 was a Substack early adapter, launching Steady in 2021. What he did for national news, I hope we can create on a local level here in Saratoga.

The catch? I need help and support — I can’t thank you (yes you!) enough for being here, during my earliest stages as I figure out how to grow a newsletter business. As I said Monday night, “The new model requires journalists to adopt a mindset unfamiliar to many in the profession. Tegnelia argues that the future of local journalism depends on entrepreneurial fluency as much as editorial skill. This shift places journalists in a new role — less like reporters working within institutions and more like founders building them. The language of startups may seem foreign to traditional newsroom culture, but Tegnelia believes it is precisely what local journalism now requires: agility, experimentation, and a willingness to iterate in public.”

I must have talked a long time, because there is so much more. Let’s end with:

“For those of us who care about the future of communities like Saratoga, the implications are significant. If Tegnelia is right, the future of local news will not be determined by the revival of old institutions but by the emergence of new ones — smaller, nimbler, more personal, and more intertwined with the daily life of the places they serve.

“And perhaps that is the deeper lesson unfolding here in Saratoga. The future of local journalism will not be decided by technology alone. It will be decided by whether people still believe their stories are worth telling…”

To read the full article, please visit saratogatorchclub.org.

Is it still a “starter home” if you’re firmly in middle age when you buy it?

The median age of first-time home buyers is now 40, nearly a decade older than 20 years ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. And these sobering new statistics are pronounced in Saratoga County for some very specific reasons.

“Homes for sale in Saratoga County tend to be older — and thus potentially in need of updating cosmetically and/or structurally — and more expensive,” says Allison Bradley of Four Seasons Sotheby’s Realty. “And there is relatively little new construction at true starter-home price points.”

Our area is seeing some major job growth (hello, GlobalFoundries) in technology, healthcare and other professional fields. And indeed, for residents not currently trying to put money together for a first-time home, the economic boon signified by more jobs and rising housing prices is seen as something very positive.

“It’s bringing more people into the area, which is great, but it’s also adding pressure to an already limited housing supply,” Bradley says. “This means that first-time buyers are often competing not only with each other, but with upsizing and downsizing buyers and cash-backed relocations.”

As a result, many buyers don’t reach the financial readiness to purchase until later in life. Dual incomes, reduced student debt, and career advancement have become prerequisites rather than advantages. In many parts of the county, the traditional “starter home” has effectively disappeared.

This shift can have long-term consequences for Saratoga and Saratoga County.

“Buying later in life shortens the amount of time homeowners have to build equity,” Bradley says. “This reduces turnover at the lower end of the market, making it even harder for the next wave of first-time buyers to purchase. Without more housing options across a wider range of price points, the age of first-time buyers in Saratoga County is likely to continue to rise.”

For more information visit sothebysrealty.com/fourseasons and contact Allison Bradly via text at 518-339-7313 or email at Allison.bradley@sothebysrealty.com.

Keep reading!

Saratoga County home prices (still) on the rise

On the market: ‘special oasis’

Stephanie Spruill was just 24 or 25 when she stepped into the recording studio to belt out Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” for David Axelrod’s 1974 album, Heavy Axe.

“I really didn’t understand everything [about the song], because I had never been on a private jet — I didn’t get on a G4 until I was singing with Julio Iglesias, you know?” she tells author Will Levith, in an interview he released earlier today about what it was like for a young Spruill to sing about the “elite” — as Spruill calls Simon and her rich and famous friends and boyfriends.

“Uncovering the Forgotten Soul Jazz Cover of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’” is part of Levith’s reporting for his upcoming book, Spa Rock City. The music history deep-dive digs into Saratoga’s moments in the limelight, including the famous Saratoga line “I hear you went up to Saratoga / And your horse naturally won” in “You’re So Vain.”

The verse meant nothing to Spruill when she was tapped to sing it.

But then she was deeply moved after learning the intent of the song.

“I think I did it in one take,” she says.

The breakup anthem became a defining feminist moment decrying male entitlement, and Levith asks Spruill, “Do you feel that revolution extended to African-American women, too?”

“No, not really,” she says. “Carly Simon is [the daughter of the co-founder of] Simon & Schuster…it’s all about the elite…So, it wasn’t like Gloria Steinem. However, she was speaking her truth, now that I reflect on it. It was good for her, because that’s where she was. She wasn’t where African Americans were at that time. The ’70s, ’60s, we were just still fighting for our rights, and many of our leaders were assassinated. So, that song didn’t affect me as far as for my liberation as an African American; it may have been for Caucasian women. But for me, personally, no.”

Will Levith, who grew up in Saratoga Springs, publishes overflow interviews and unfinished excerpts on Drafts + Cuts. His interview with Spruill took place by phone in October 2023.

Last Thursday night, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce gathered four local financial leaders for a chit-chat about the state of Saratoga.

Let’s get to it.

—Abby

The night’s go-to name-drop: GlobalFoundries

A major economic driver for our area, the massive semiconductor manufacturer has gross revenue in the billions and employs more than 2,500 people in its Malta facility — with promises of more hires on the horizon with its $11.6 billion, 10-year expansion plan.

“We’re not just a tourist economy anymore,” said Charlie Wait Jr., President and CEO of Adirondack Trust Company. “We have GlobalFoundries, so we have the technology piece that bodes well for our economy.”

Topic center of attention: affordability

“Regarding the cost of housing,” said David DeMarco, President and CEO of Arrow Bank, “rates are coming down but the 10-year yield curve is going up, too.”

“We see the topic in conversations we have with clients, and it’s real,” said Martin Shields, Chief Wealth Advisor and Shareholder, Bouchey Financial Group. “It’s healthcare, it’s childcare, it’s certainly housing.”

“Is there enough affordable housing around here?” asked Ben Chuckrow, Senior VP/Investments and Brand Manager, Stifel. “I wish there was a little bit more transportation up here, so people weren’t so worried about having to buy a house so close to downtown. People aren’t able to buy in the areas where houses are cheaper because they don’t know how they’re going to get to work [without] a car.”

Honorable mention: talent, acquisition and retention challenges

Elephant in the room Saratoga wasn’t ready for yet: AI

“AI, like the internet did, is going to eventually have a positive impact on inflation, eventually lowering interest rates,” Chuckrow said. He told me afterwards that people’s eyes glazed over so he stopped talking about it.

What keeps them up at night

“Fraud,” said DeMarco. “Cybersecurity, AI…these kind of things continue to proliferate the challenges with fraud in particular in the banking industry — the fraudsters are getting better with new technology. I am very optimistic about the economy, and we have ways to fight the fraudsters, but it’s a big battle.”

“The resilience of this area really makes it so I don’t have to be kept up at night,” Wait said. “I worry about affordability. I worry about money coming out of the banking system and going to places like private credit because that credit is opaque. Keeping a steady growth is one of the benefits that we have in this area. And that’s what makes it such a great place to be.”

The Capital Region housing market is showing renewed energy as mortgage rates begin to ease, says Miranda Real Estate Group’s Mary Wilson. “Even modest rate drops have brought many buyers back off the sidelines,” she says, “increasing showing activity and multiple-offer situations across much of the region.”

The challenge? Inventory remains tight. “While demand has picked up, the number of available homes hasn’t kept pace,” Wilson says, “especially in popular price points under $500,000.”

For sellers, this continues to be a favorable environment. “Lower rates mean a larger pool of qualified buyers, and limited inventory helps support strong pricing,” she says. “For buyers, strategy matters more than ever. Understanding timing, local micro-markets, and negotiation options can make all the difference.”

Wilson says that as we head further into the year, the market isn’t slowing; it’s becoming more competitive. “This is the moment when sellers stand out,” she says. “Would you rather compete in a marathon with 50 homes, or 300 once spring inventory hits? Timing matters, and right now, the odds are in sellers’ favor.”

When Albany Academy graduate Miranda Rae Hart decided to make her first feature film, she didn’t wait for a studio, a grant or anyone’s permission. She came home to Saratoga Springs, called in every favor she could think of, and built a production out of friends, locals and the kind of community support you only get in a place that genuinely wants you to succeed.

“We’re in the waiting game now,” she says — the limbo between finishing a film and waiting to hear from festivals. The movie, titled Off to the Races, already carries the fingerprints of the region that raised her.

Hart shot most of the film — a rom-com homage to 1940s screwball comedies — in her parents’ Saratoga home, a Victorian that required little more than a few trash bags taped over the windows to transform into a set. She expected neighbors to complain; instead, they asked questions and offered help. “Everyone was pleasantly curious,” she says. “It felt like the whole town was rooting for us.” That support extended far beyond the block.

The director/star actor/writer is vocal about wanting to show a version of upstate New York that rarely makes it onscreen — one that’s intellectual, artistic and culturally alive. “People think of upstate and picture farms,” she says, and sometimes forget that this area is also a center for the arts.

Hart calls herself a “history snob,” and it shows. The film leans into Saratoga’s Victorian character, manicured gardens and old‑world charm. In other words, she didn’t need to build sets; Saratoga already had them. “Saratogians take pride in their houses and their gardens,” she says. “Everything we needed was already here.”

Off to the Races centers on a woman who does exactly what she wants — a sleuth‑journalist type who inserts herself into the drama she’s supposed to be observing. Hart describes the tone as “fast, witty and a little old‑timey,” with dialogue that nods to Gilmore Girls.

The cast includes fellow Capital Region native Lucas Aurelio, who was featured on Season 3 of Bridgerton. Hart remembers hearing about him years ago — her cousin was dating someone who knew him — and thinking he’d be famous one day. Bringing him into the project felt like a full‑circle moment.

Now that the film is finished and the festival submissions are out, Hart is back to waiting. But she’s clear on one thing: the movie couldn’t have been made anywhere else.

“This is a story of human positivity,” she says. And Saratoga gave her every reason to believe in that.

And more than 600 of you answered!

If you’re new here…

Every week, Seen in Saratoga puts a question out into the Insta-verse, and Saratogians can give their blunt, honest answers — anonymously.

And then our favorite — also anonymous — photog matches their answers with an unrelated, but expertly chosen, candid taken around town.

Then I choose my favorites (and most appropriate — being anonymous really brings out some colorful answers!) to be published here.

—Abby

Keep reading!

Why I’m partnering with the Dispatch, by Seen in Saratoga

Seen by Seen in Saratoga? (at the Dispatch’s first event!)

When is it ok to regift?

Leave it to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame to race into America’s 250th Birthday (just six months away!) with a banger of an opening party — one that brings together Adirondack Trust’s Charles V. Wait, glory days-loving horse racing fans, and Hamilton buffs.

“Racing at the Dawn of the United States” opened Saturday in the Museum’s Link Gallery, so we asked the museum’s curator, Jessica Cloer, for some highlights. Let’s start with the Turning Point, as in the Turning Point — the first time the British ever surrendered to Americans, which proved crucial in convincing, well, us (and the French) that we could actually win.

“Thanks to a generous loan from Charles V. Wait, the exhibition includes a note written by John Ashley at Fort Hardy (located in present-day Schuylerville) and a letter written by Major General Philip Schuyler dated November 19, 1776 while he was in command of the Northern Department,” Cloer says.

“Also included is a small print of The Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga, New York, October 17th, 1777, by Nathaniel Currier.”

And the connection between America’s big birthday and horse racing?

“Horse racing was the preeminent sport at the time of our nation’s founding 250 years ago,” Cloer says. “Racing occurred both on established courses and informally throughout the colonies. In Maryland alone, there were more than 20 racing centers. Prominent figures of the time, such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were known to attend race meets.”

For more information about the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, including upcoming events, please visit racingmuseum.org or call (518) 584-0400. For Wednesday’s special behind-the-scenes curator’s tour, reserve your ticket here.

This news was brought to you by…

Mark your calendars for Chowderfest, Feb. 7!

If you’re down in the city this month, take a look around — you might see a familiar face.

Literally.

Saratogian Molly Dunn, an esteemed advertising exec and — as of yesterday, an author — is currently the star of NYC subway ads that are running all over Manhattan and Brooklyn for the month of January.

The reason: Dunn’s exciting debut novel, the psychological thriller The Circuitry We Share.

“I wanted to catch the attention of folks on the streets of NYC,” says the Queens native who also lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn before migrating north. “The best part of [New York City] is the people — they have a taste level like no other — so if New Yorkers purchase and read The Circuitry We Share and something within it resonates with them, well then, slam f***ing dunk.”

Dunn herself went down to NYC for her book — and MTA — debut, but will be back in the Spa City soon enough. (Buy her book at Northshire and mark your calendar for her book signing event there on Friday, Feb. 27.)

“Being back in the city,” she says, “to brighten the steps of subway stations feels surreal!”

The Circuitry We Share’s “mind-bending” story follows four highly intuitive women from different parts of the world, whose lives collide after falling for the same Silicon Valley filmmaker.

For more info on Dunn’s in-person event, visit northshire.com.

📌 ICYMI…

Race to birth: dad trapped on tarmac at ALB

Saratoga Arts is baaaack… (party’s Jan. 9!)

UPH kicks off 2026 with 2 sold-out shows

(REVIEW): Bear’s Cup Bakehouse’s sweet debut

Anti-screen time movement kicks off in Saratoga Springs

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — Feel like screen time is all your family tunes into these days?

We all know we do it, but the numbers feel like a gut punch. For starters, the average U.S. child age 8 to 18 spends 7.5 hours a day watching or using screens.

And how about…you? This might hurt, but a local expert says getting your kids onboard with reduced online time is going to have to start with us adults.

“We all know there’s often a double standard in terms of what we do ourselves, and what we ask our kids to do, especially when it comes to screen time,” says Leah Ferrone, a Saratoga Springs-based certified mindfulness and yoga practitioner. “But the reality is, if we expect good behavior and mindfulness with screen time, we have to model it.”

Not good news for your average American; we spend an average of seven hours, three minutes online a day — or about 18 years of our lives.

But — in Saratoga at least — there is hope.

@bravelionmind

Leah Ferrone on Instagram: "As I drove Chloe to the airport to …

A Cultural Shift

Just as many local parents were starting to feel uneasy about all of this screen time, a well-timed SPAC in Conversation event in October inspired change that is kicking the New Year off right.

“Many of us, especially parents, are realizing that they need to make changes, and they are not only happy to do it for their children, they want to do it for themselves too,” says Ferrone, who founded Brave Lion Wholehearted Wellness to offer neuroscience-based solutions to caretakers, children and educators. “When Julie Scelfo [a journalist who went on to found Mothers Against Media Addiction, or MAMA] came to speak at a SPAC event, it kicked off a movement in Saratoga.”

Ferrone says that several of the mothers organized a loose event at Walt & Whitman following the consternation and questions raised by the SPAC luncheon, with dozens showing up to mingle and discuss real solutions. Currently, a Saratoga Springs chapter of MAMA has been formed, and organizers are reaching out to schools to come up with realistic solutions.

Through Brave Lion, Ferrone has also organized several events for adults, teens and children that focus on being present, with other humans.

“Last summer I did summer socials at Pitney Meadows, where everyone checked their phone into a little hotel before going into the gathering,” Ferrone says. “We had games like tug of war, cards and yard games. People — adults and kids — just played. It was freeing for everyone.”

@pitneymeadowscommunityfarm

Pitney Meadows Community Farm on Instagram: "🌿 Special Announc…

Keep reading!

No phones, no exceptions — Unplugged at Pitney Meadows

Disposable camera pics add retro charm to throwback event

This year, Brave Lion hopes to restart the popular outdoor series when the warm sun makes its glorious return. In the meantime, Brave Lion is available for formal training workshops for educators, in-school mindfulness training, and teen retreats.

“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” Ferrone says. “One of the most important things you can do is talk to your kids honestly about what you both see and learn online, what you like and don’t like.”

ICYMI…

Your top stories of the year! HINT: You all love your celebs. And real estate.

Saratoga Arts is baaaack…

Calling all poets

UPH kicks off 2026 with 2 sold-out shows

So many of you — about half actually — have been with the Dispatch since our first month or so, a fun fact that humbles me to no end. It means you’ve been here as we tried new things, got the kinks out, suffered some pretty bad typos as we got used to a daily crunch time…and you’re still here.

And it means you remember my co-founder (and friend), Steve Thurston, who was half the Dispatch until he slowly exited stage right without a peep.

I wasn’t able to announce why he was leaving (I can tell you now; he got a dream job as the Chief of Staff to the mayor of Glens Falls). For more info, keep your eye on the Glens Falls Chronicle, which teased its story on the changes in our northern neighbor’s mayor’s office today on social media — and plans to have the full story out by Christmas.

Without further ado, Steve speaks!

@glensfallschronicle

Glens Falls Chronicle on Instagram: "Cathy DeDe reports: Former…

Abby: When you left without a word, I think some of the Dispatchers out there thought we had a falling out or something.

Steve: Oh, no. I mean, “Please support Abby — the Dispatch is absolutely necessary.” Saratoga needs its own daily news outlet.

Abby: You were handling most of the hard news; I was doing mostly food/wine and the performing arts. I can’t do it all (ha!), so filling that void is still a work in progress. The political stories I have done did extremely well — I’ll be doing a “Top Stories” post soon for the end of the year, and I’m interested to see where they fall.

Steve: The politically connected readership are a stalwart bunch, and they are really interested in making sure that news gets out, and that you survive so that you can continue to tell that news.

Abby: Since local journalism is my absolute passion, that speaks to my heart.

Steve: Since I left, I have seen a number of changes — especially the tone and style. It’s still really great coverage, still interesting stories, but at the same time, just a little tweak that I think is in the right direction. Maybe with me hanging around, we never would’ve made those changes, but with me out of the way…

Abby: You were very concerned about AI, and the one thing that AI cannot take away from you is your personality. I still want the information in there, but our community is a friendly, tight-knit community, and I want the Dispatch to feel like it’s not only a part of it, but doing what local journalism is supposed to be doing — bringing us together.

Steve: That’s where news seems to be going. I might have gotten too stuck in my ways and wasn’t ready to make that kind of a change. And I think that change is going to be significant.

Abby: I was going to ask you what you’ve noticed that’s different, but you went straight to it.

Steve: It really is the voice. It’s fun to read, you’re a good journalist and a good writer, and you are clearly connected to so many people in this community in a way that I never was. I appreciate your journalistic reach.

Abby: It’s so cyclical. There was so much to do in Saratoga over the holidays that I was working all day, every day to try to get it all in. I expect to settle into some more newsier stories and small business coverage as we move into January and February.

Steve: That will be an opportunity to catch up on some different areas and try new things.

Thank you, Steve!

As you tiptoe around the house trying to figure out how to (discreetly) print out the gift cards you need to buy as last-minute gifts (you’re not alone), here’s an idea.

Three of Saratoga’s most well-known authors have books coming out in early 2026. Pre-order now and double the gifting fun (they get to unwrap a festive IOU on Christmas, and be surprised by a book later). These three novels (that come out between Jan. 6 and April 26) are making a huge splash. Here’s how to get in on the holiday-worthy hoopla.

The Circuitry We Share, by Molly Dunn

Pre-order for the Jan. 6 release. (Pre-ordered books from Northshire will arrive signed by the author — personalized, if requested.)

Launch event: Northshire, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.

Local connect: Dunn’s debut novel was written over five years, while living in Saratoga. Marcella Hammer is mentioned in the acknowledgments for running the Palette book club, which Dunn says was “foundational” for her.

Synopsis: Psychological thriller that follows four hyper-empathic women who discover they’ve all fallen for the same enigmatic Silicon Valley filmmaker. As they begin to unravel his duplicity, they uncover a web of deception that stretches far beyond romantic betrayal — and into the darkest corners of the tech world.

Fun fact: “While The Circuitry We Share is intended to be read sequentially from front to back,” Dunn says, “the novel also has a ‘choose your own adventure’ option, as it is told from different points of view of the four main characters. Readers can pick a character of their liking and read where the story takes them with just those chapters. Then read other characters’ chapters and see how their storylines intersect.

“This is great for book clubs, those looking to bend their minds while reading on their own, or folks just short on time — creating even more intrigue.”

Trad Wife: A Novel, by Saratoga Schaefer

@saratogaishere

Saratoga Schaefer on Instagram: "MY SECOND CHILD—THE HUNGRY, DE…

Pre-order now for the Feb. 10 release. (Pre-ordered books from Northshire will arrive signed by the author — personalized, if requested.)

Local connect: Schaefer is named after — and currently resides in — Saratoga Springs.

Synopsis: A “traditional wife” influencer allows a demonic creature to impregnate her in this unnerving horror novel from the author of Serial Killer Support Group — Every #tradwife needs a baby. She’ll get one at any cost.

Fun fact: Schaefer is from Brooklyn but her mom has always loved Saratoga. “My mom has been coming up to this area since she was a kid,” Schaefer dishes on the podcast Destination Saratoga. “And when she met my dad, she brought him to the area and he fell in love with it. Then she kind of suggested naming their firstborn Saratoga as a joke and he took it very seriously. And now here I am.”

A Murder Most Camp, by Nicolas DiDomizio

@nicdidomiziobooks

Nicolas DiDomizio on Instagram: "Truly a pinch-me moment and Th…

Pre-order now for April 26 release. (Pre-ordered books from Northshire will arrive signed by the author — personalized, if requested.)

Launch event: Northshire, April 28

Local connect: DiDomizio lives in Saratoga with his fiancé; their relationship loosely inspired the author’s last book, Nearlywed.

Synopsis: “It’s a zany mystery-romcom about a 30-year-old nepo baby,” DiDomizio says, “who’s forced to volunteer at a summer camp to earn his inheritance, where he stumbles into an unsolved murder case.” — Rustic cabins. Lakefront bonfires. A painfully hot lifeguard. And a murder? Summer has never been this camp.

Fun fact: This book already has fans in high places: People magazine splashed across a recent headline, “Cher Horowitz would love A Murder Most Camp!” and did an exclusive reveal.