In this issue:

Top: Letter to the editor, on elections

Bottom: Flag football is a touchdown for Spa City girls!

Letter to the Editor

George Ehinger for County Supervisor

To the Editors:

In November, I am voting for George Ehinger for Saratoga County Supervisor. I have known George for years; as a friend, a neighbor, a business executive and a family man. For me, George is an easy choice, the real deal, the kind of principled leader we are so needful of in our public spaces. Of course, George has the threshold skills. He is bright and analytical and assertive in his views. As importantly, I think, he is open and collaborative and sensible rather than doctrinaire. The man I know is someone who can be trusted to address the issues that come before him with good judgement and fair balance.

I hope you will join me in voting for George on Election Day.

Chuck Okosky, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

From the editors: Looking to support a candidate? Want to sound off on the news of the day? We got you. Send your SHORT letter (150 words MAX, practice your pithiness) to editors@saratogadispatch.com.

Please include: Your full name and a phone number to reach you in case we need to. Include which town/city/village you live in. Links to info/data/stories if needed to prove the arguments you’re making.

Do not include: Jerkiness. We are not social media, and we will not post vile attacks. We reserve the right to choose just what “vile” is. Letters on local (Saratoga Springs) topics will be chosen over regional/national ones. Please use names when referring to humans. We do not care what your pet name is for your least-favorite politician, please use their real name and/or real title (Gov. Hochul, President Donald Trump, the governor, the president, etc). Also, we will likely object to a letter that runs long, so please, cut and revise it before sending.

Lifestyle

NY Giants see a future in female football. Local girls say, game on.

Girls rush in: how the new varsity sport of girls flag football is having a ripple effect on female players of all ages (and their parents), who are finally making gains in the sport they love.

By: Abby Tegnelia

[For a direct, shareable link to this story, click here.]

Alice Dalton started playing NFL Saratoga flag football when she was just 6. She quickly fell for the sport — at 12, she’s now a star quarterback for the Bengals — even knowing that her ability to play would come to a crashing halt during her freshman year.

There were simply no options at the time for female flag football players to participate after ninth grade.

Then the New York Giants

Read more

In this issue:

Top: Buy a really nice car at auction

Mid: Letter to the editor, on elections

Bottom: Artist’s unique take on Saratoga’s horses

Announcements

DOH says: Beware of Sepsis during awareness month

During Sepsis Awareness Month, the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) warn New Yorkers of all ages about the risks of sepsis, a severe and life-threatening, but often preventable, condition. While anyone can develop sepsis, older adults are among those at highest risk, a joint press release from the departments says. Sepsis is the body’s extreme and life-threatening response to an infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. While sepsis is a leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals, a fact sheet from the Sepsis Alliance says, approximately 90% of cases occur in the community, making early recognition by everyone critical, the state departments say. Approximately 6% of hospitalizations are due to sepsis and 35% of in-hospital deaths are due to sepsis. According to NYSDOH, severe sepsis and septic shock impact approximately 73,000 adults and 600 children in New York each year.

Buy a famous car at auction, or watch

Bidding is now live for the 9th Annual Saratoga Motorcar Auction, Sept. 18 to 21, a press release from Discover Saratoga says. Collectors and enthusiasts can begin placing their pre-bids today, securing their chance to own one of more than 250 remarkable motorcars and 120+ pieces of rare automobilia and collectibles. Hosted on the beautiful grounds of the Saratoga Casino Hotel, the Auction kicks off this Thursday, Sept. 18, 6 to 9 p.m., with the Fast Lane VIP Concert featuring Soul Session, an electrifying start to a weekend of horsepower, heritage, and high-stakes bidding.

This year’s roster is nothing short of world-class, spanning Italian supercars, American muscle, British luxury, and historic collectibles. An array of neon signs, vintage gas pumps, and rare automobilia will also be up for grabs.

Contact: Megan Hennessey, Saratoga Automobile Museum, megan@saratogaautomuseum.org

Letter to the editors

Kiernan for Commissioner

Hello,

I’m proud to support JoAnne Kiernan for Commissioner of Finance. With more than 26 years of experience as a CPA and nearly a decade on the Saratoga Springs School Board, JoAnne has proven she is both financially skilled and deeply committed to public service.

As Deputy Mayor, she has seen firsthand how city finances shape our quality of life, and she is ready to bring transparency, accountability, and long-term planning to City Hall. JoAnne is not a politician — she’s a problem solver, a listener, and a neighbor who will put our community first.

As a long time Saratoga Springs resident, business owner and volunteer, I support JoAnne.

Dorothy Rogers-Bullis, Saratoga Springs

From the editors: Looking to support a candidate? Want to sound off on the news of the day? We got you. Send your SHORT letter (150 words MAX, practice your pithiness) to editors@saratogadispatch.com.

Please include: Your full name and a phone number to reach you in case we need to. Include which town/city/village you live in. Links to info/data/stories if needed to prove the arguments you’re making.

Do not include: Jerkiness. We are not social media, and we will not post vile attacks. We reserve the right to choose just what “vile” is. Letters on local (Saratoga Springs) topics will be chosen over regional/national ones. Please use names when referring to humans. We do not care what your pet name is for your least-favorite politician, please use their real name and/or real title (Gov. Hochul, President Donald Trump, the governor, the president, etc). Also, we will likely object to a letter that runs long, so please, cut and revise it before sending.

Dish Saratoga

Artist’s unique take on horse art lands first major Saratoga sale

Dallas transplant Daniel Fairley makes his Saratoga debut on Phila Street, where diners at a buzzy new hotspot have already snapped up one of his quirky works.

By: Abby Tegnelia

When artist Daniel Fairley moved to Saratoga in April, he had no idea that he would soon make a name for himself in the horse art sub-genre. But his irreverent style quickly made him stand out.

The solo commissioned artist in new Phila Street hotspot Standard Fare, Fairley’s works have created their own side buzz during the buzzy opening of the new restaurant by the owners of Bocage Champagne bar. And the “wild” (think more Where the Wild Things Are, less free-roaming stallion) painting hanging near the hostess stand quickly became a crowd favorite.

So much so, in fact, that it’s already hanging on a wall in

Read more

In this issue:

Top: Lions clubs to have roar-ing fun at 100th Anniversary dinner

Mid: Joint statement on violence

Bottom: The sidewalks of Grand Avenue will get their day at the council

Saratoga News

Roar-ing 20s party for local Lions clubs

Event: Milestone year for a service clubs

By: Saratoga Dispatch

Event

Throw yourself back 100 years, to 1925, the roaring 20s, a time of flapper dresses, cool cars and jazz. Join the Saratoga Springs and the Albany & Troy Lions clubs as they celebrate 100 years of service to their communities on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the storied Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs.

The celebration commemorates the year that the Saratoga Springs, Albany and Troy clubs were officially chartered. 1925 also marks the year that Helen Keller, the famed activist for people with hearing and sight loss, challenged the Lions Club International to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” The Lions have been champions of the blind since.

The night features a happy hour and jazz band, dinner and a short program with Past International Lions Club Director Gary Brown, and Keller Johnson-Thompson, the great-grand niece of Hellen Keller. Johnson-Thompson is the Executive Vice President at Helen Keller Foundation for Research and Education.

It’s not just the years that will be celebrated, it’s the hours.

“The night will celebrate the hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours spent in service in our respective communities to change people's lives for the better,” says John McDonald, a member of the Saratoga Lions and past district governor of Lions International. He has been leading the 100th Anniversary Committee.

“It will be a great night to celebrate service and community,” says Jerry Gordon, the secretary of the Albany & Troy Lions Club. He and his wife Maryanne Gordon, a board member of the Albany & Troy club, have been working on the 100th anniversary festivities.

For both clubs, service starts with eyes: collection of used glasses, donation of new glasses for the needy, vision screenings for kids in schools and more.

“For Lions, the focus of the volunteer efforts begins with sight and hearing issues, but it goes far beyond that,” Maryanne says.

Her husband Jerry agrees: “We have worked with local schools and nurses to get vision screenings for kids, but we have also taken care of more serious eye problems. Look at the Lions Eye Institute in Albany and all the good work they have done.”

5,000 lions from 160 clubs, led by the Lions Clubs in this area, banded together to form the Lions Eye Institute and Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and education in ophthalmology, supporting cutting-edge eyecare and training doctors in the latest research.

“This organization is a gem for eye care in the community, and it is supported by the donations of time and money made by Lions,” McDonald says.

The service does not end with eye care. The Lions support the needs of all children. For the Albany & Troy Lions Club, that means working with other organizations in food drives and soup kitchens. Through their Warm Woolen Wishes campaign, they get children the winter clothing they need.

Their focus includes literacy programs. They have constructed and installed Little Free Libraries in the Capital District.

Last year, the Albany & Troy club ran the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the first time.

“That was quite a commitment but worth it,” says Maryanne Gordon. “We are a smaller club, so handling just the 35 schools that participated stretched us, but this year we are ready and plan to see many more schools involved.”

For the Saratoga club, the support includes its annual summertime “Camp Abilities” a weeklong camp that helps children with vision and hearing problems take part in activities that might normally be off-limits, such as biking, playing tennis, and swimming. The club has worked with Ronald McDonald Charities. They have supported vision care screenings, food drives and more in the Saratoga Springs area.

If you cannot make the dinner, people are encouraged to join their local club or donate.

“The membership dues pay for club administration so that all donations get put toward helping those who need it most. 100 percent of the donations go toward our activities and charity,” McDonald said.

More information:

• Purchase tickets online here.

• Albany & Troy Lions Club: https://albanytroylions.org/

• Saratoga Springs Lions Club: https://www.saratogaspringslions.com/

Full disclosure: Co-editor Steve Thurston is a member of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club.

Joint Statement from Saratoga Springs Political Leaders

In the wake of the shooting of political activist Charlie Kirk, three leaders of Saratoga Springs’ political parties issued a joint statement. It first ran on the Facebook page, What’s Going on Saratoga.

“As political leaders in our community, we often disagree — sometimes fiercely. But we remain united in our conviction that, no matter our differences, we are all Americans, and political violence is never acceptable.”

Signed,

Otis Maxwell, Chair, Saratoga Springs Democrats;; Michael Brandi Chair, Saratoga Springs Republicans; Courtney DeLeonardis Chair, One Saratoga.

Saratoga News

The sidewalks of Grand Avenue

But what about the railroad?

Stephen Thurston

Sep 12, 2025

∙ Paid

A plan for a two-mile stretch of sidewalks along Grand Avenue will become part of the public discussion among the Saratoga Springs City Council members at their meeting, Tuesday evening, Sept. 16.

Commissioner of Public Works Chuck Marshall agreed to add the item to his agenda after Commissioner of Accounts Dillon Moran asked about the project’s public discussion Wednesday evening in City Hall.

“I’ll add the item to my agenda,” Marshall said.

“If you’re ready,” Moran said. “If you’re still

Read more

In this issue:

Top: Job fair!

Bottom: Lake George 5K

No paywall! Enjoy these free community announcements from your friends at Saratoga Dispatch.

Positively Saratoga

Job Fair this Friday, read more

The Saratoga Job Showcase includes 50 area employers

This exciting Positively Saratoga news is brought to you by our friends at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

For a shareable FREE link to this story, click here.

Anyone with an eye out for employment opportunities will want to mark their calendars for the upcoming Saratoga Job Showcase.

The event - free and open to the public - will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Sept. 12 at Empire State University, located at 113 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs.

The showcase will feature more than 50 area employers from diverse industries such as construction, manufacturing, energy, finance, banking, technology and more.

Job-seekers are invited to explore career opportunities while making real, in-person connections with recruiters.

Attendees can walk away with tools to help land their next role, including free professional headshots offered on site, along with LinkedIn tips from talent recruitment expert Christopher Thomas of Elite 9 Talent Solutions.

A collaborative effort, the Saratoga Job Showcase is presented by Empire State University, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, the Veterans Business Council, Empire State University Veterans and Military Resource Center, New York State Department of Labor, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, Saratoga County Workforce Development, Naval Support Facility – Saratoga Springs and The Fleet and Family Support Center.

“We are gathering dozens of the region’s top employers for the Saratoga Job Showcase and we invite the community to attend and explore the many opportunities available in our local job market," said Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce president Todd Shimkus. "This is a can’t-miss event for anyone looking to elevate their career.”

The morning will also include a special opportunity for the veteran and military community with a 9 a.m. Veteran & Military Meet and Greet networking reception prior to the event. Featuring coffee, snacks and connections, this complimentary networking hour is open to all veterans, active-duty military members and those who serve or support veterans.

“SUNY Empire is proud to honor our veterans and military members with a dedicated networking session before the Saratoga Job Showcase. This dedicated time is our way of honoring their service—providing them with meaningful opportunities to connect, share their experiences, and explore career possibilities with local employers,” said Anita DeCianni-Brown, director of Career & Experiential Learning Services at Empire State University.

“The Job Showcase and Veteran Networking events bring together community partners who are passionate about supporting veteran and military families in our region. This collaboration is dedicated to assisting those transitioning out of the military or seeking new employment opportunities,” added Desiree Drindak, director of the Veteran and Military Resource Center at Empire State University. “The Veteran Networking event provides an excellent opportunity for veterans and military members to connect with employers, advocates, and community resources that can support them throughout their transition and job search.”

More information, including a full list of participating employers, is available at www.saratoga.org/jobshowcase.

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Lifestyle

Stunning all-ages 5K returns to Lake George THIS Saturday

Scenic fall run celebrates leaf peeping season and ends with a family fun brewery after-party.

By: Abby Tegnelia

The all-ages ADK 5K kicks off at 10 a.m. this Saturday, September 13, drawing runners from all over the region eager to take in the fall foliage, celebrate Lake George — and hang out at the Adirondack Pub & Brewery for an autumnal festival-style after-party.

“The leaves are already beginning to change in Lake George, and this 5K takes runners on a scenic course with stunning lake views,” said Adirondack Pub & Brewery Owner John Carr in a statement. “With beautiful weather in the forecast, it’s the perfect day for our community of runners, outdoor enthusiasts, and craft beverage lovers to come together. September is one of the most picturesque times of year in Lake George—a perfect opportunity to gather for a memorable weekend in the Adirondacks.”

The 9th annual 5K — part of the Great American Brewery Runs Series — starts and finishes at the brewery, and all are welcome to hang out afterwards for music, beer, food trucks and lawn games. The course runs towards the lake (twice!) and boasts panoramic views of the Queen of American Lakes.

A portion of the proceeds benefits the nonprofit Lake George Land Conservancy, an organization that is dedicated to protecting the land around the lake.

To register for the run, visit runsignup.com.

In this issue:

Top: Saratoga Springs City council to re-approve corrected resolution. Schermerhorn is no-show in court, perturbs judge.

Bottom: Shhh! Saratoga Arts has surprise announcement about its art-meets-intrigue gala.

Below the paywall: Schermerhorn is no-show in court.

Saratoga Springs City Council to re-approve resolution

The Saratoga Springs City Council will hold a special meeting today at 4 p.m. to correct an error from their Sept. 2 meeting. Members of the council met in a closed meeting to discuss the issue earlier today. Assistant City Attorney Tony Izzo tells the Dispatch he expects the meeting will be swift and will correct numbers and percentages in one resolution that passed last week.

The resolution allowed for a Payment in Lieu of Taxes for the RISE supportive housing nonprofit to enter into with the city as RISE develops a low-income housing apartment off South Broadway in the city. The procedure was expected to help RISE become eligible for state grants or other finances.

The resolution contained numerical inaccuracies, and RISE “asked the council to reconvene only for the purpose of correcting those slight inaccuracies in some of those numbers,” said Assistant City Attorney Tony Izzo.

The project has its detractors. Read more about it here.

Dish Saratoga

Shh: Saratoga Arts spills big secret before surprise-packed gala

Saratoga Arts’ “Foundation Experience” gala on September 25 promises an anything-can-happen evening of art and intrigue.

By: Abby Tegnelia

Art meets excitement at Saratoga Arts’ upcoming Foundation Experience gala, an anything-can-happen, four-parties-in-one soirée where guests at Night Owl won’t know where to look next.

Talk about keeping party-goers on their toes.

“We're pushing the envelope as far as what people come to expect from galas and parties in Saratoga, and the type of performance that they can see here,” says Saratoga Arts’ Spencer Sherry, the mastermind behind this unique event. “Each room will have different music, different food, different drinks and different live performances. It's four parties in one.”

CLICK HERE FOR A STAND-ALONE, SHAREABLE LINK OF THIS STORY!

Hungry for more Dish on the social scene? This all-Saratoga Substack is reader-supported. Join the party with a paid subscription!

The organization’s Grants and Community Outreach Coordinator of two years says he was inspired by Disney World’s “streetscapes” that use live character actors — and the former off-Broadway play Sleep No More, a beloved and immersive experience where people wandered through a hotel to take in a play at their own pace.

“I want to create that vibe of exploration and mystery, like you're going to Walt Disney as a kid,” he says. “Not everyone is going to have the same experience; you're not going to be able to see everything. You might see something really startling, really fun because you’re in this room at the right time. But out in the courtyard, something else will be going on.”

The party honors Cecilia Frittelli & Richard Lockwood, of Frittelli & Lockwood, founding members of the Beekman Street Arts district and fixtures of the arts in Saratoga Springs.

“They helped to build the art scene here,” Sherry says. “Because Richard is a little bit of a thespian, we decided to do a loosely-inspired Shakespearean vibe and theme throughout. So as we lean into that, each of the spaces in the Night Owl will be loosely environmentally based off of plays or a group of plays, and there will be performances popping up in each of the spaces.”

There will be an open bar courtesy of Night Owl, and a unique custom menu created by the foodie-lovers hotspot Farmacy.

And the big surprise promised up top?

[Find out with a paid subscription. Also: Schermerhorn is no-show at court.]

Read more

In this issue:

Top: Some briefs of note.

Bottom: Opera Saratoga wins grant from national group.

Where?

A fun mistake at the Bonnie Raitt concert Wednesday evening Sept. 4 at SPAC took place during the night’s first act, Jimmie Vaughan and his Tilt-a-Whirl Band. He is the former lead guitar of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and is the older brother to Stevie Ray Vaughan (guitar talent runs high in that family). A roots rock and blues guitar player of note, Jimmie sang about moving back to Texas in one song, and he looked over the microphone conspiratorially at the crowd and says, “unless I move to Sarasota Springs.”

It did not garner the applause he might have expected.

Still, Jimmie and Raitt, whose voice has remained stellar into her 70s, put on some great guitar work in the roots rock and blues mode. Raitt also spoke briefly about her time as a young girl at a summer camp in Saranac Lake run by the Quakers where she learned to fight for civil rights and, not for nothin’, how to play guitar.

Jimmie joined Raitt for the final song of the night. Delightful. — Steve Thurston

6th HAB for Saratoga Lake

According to the New York State Harmful Algal Blooms map, Saratoga Lake saw a sixth HAB for the year near the western shore of the lake at the mouth of the Kayaderosseras Creek, the border between Saratoga Springs and the Town of Malta. The HAB was recorded on Sept. 2. Warm water and the mix of the right organic compounds can cause the blooms which may be harmful to people and pets. In an earlier story about HABs and conservation, Cristina Connolly, the lake administrator with the Saratoga Lake Protection and Improvement District, warned that more HABs are likely with the warming temperatures and development around the lake. — Steve Thurston

Keep reading:

One HAB on the lake thus far, will we see more?

Algal bloom closes beach

Munis looking to feasibility study of Saratoga Lake

Wilton's watershed moment

Saratoga Lake's salt problem looks like others

Lifestyle

Opera Saratoga one of four nationwide ‘new work’ grant awardees

The New Music USA award but one of many announcements by Saratoga’s opera company’s for its 65th anniversary season.

By: Abby Tegnelia

[For a FREE shareable link to this story, click here.]

Opera Saratoga was one of only four nationwide awardees for the 2025 New Music Organization Fund in the Creation of New Work category under classical voice. The grant was awarded for the organization’s first-ever full-length commission for two female artists.

“New Music USA’s support means that Alyssa Weinberg and J Mae Barizo’s DRIFT will be a part of our 2026 festival season,” says Opera Saratoga’s General and Artistic Director Mary Birnbaum. “Their beautiful new opera is about memory, migration and motherhood.”

New Music USA provides grants to “outstanding organizations that work regularly with and support the development of music creators and artists, offering crucial resources to their community,” according to a Sept. 2 article in OperaWire, which announced the classical voice winners.

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The 2025 grants totaled $584,000 in awards, and spanned 17 states and Washington, D.C.; a monetary amount for the classical voice winners alone was not provided, but the awardees spanned five states.

[MORE ON OPERA SARATOGA: Jon Batiste came to party; Opera Saratoga's surprise announcement]

DRIFT is part of Opera Saratoga’s 65th anniversary celebration, which includes a special concert version of Puccini’s epic La Bohème — the company’s first-ever holiday production — at UPH on December 5. As part of the year-long celebration, there will also be added pop-ups and cocktails parties, including a September 11 happy hour at the new Standard Fare on Phila Street. The two-hour event will include heavy apps, decadent dessert bites, welcome bubbly (or non-alcoholic beverage), a cash bar — and 40 minutes of singing, all in a party setting.

Abby Tegnelia is on the board of Opera Saratoga but all opinions are her own.

Keep reading about the performing arts:

Party time: Local celeb wins with Caroline St. horse. Plus Renee Fleming at SPAC

Who is Laufey? (Gen Z takes over SPAC tonight.)

Def Leppard, Bret Michaels honor Ozzy Osbourne at SPAC

In this issue:

Top: Some events of note.

Bottom: Saratoga Springs City Council notes: Still no vote on proposed legal bills law. Budget and tax updates.

Lifestyle

Saratoga Springs Events

Music fest, job fair and more.

By: Saratoga Dispatch

Sept. 10, ONE Campaign and Kickoff Event

Join Wellspring’s ONE Campaign during Relationship Abuse Awareness Month

Even one person living in fear because of domestic violence is too many. So, we launched the ONE Campaign—because change starts with one person who chooses to care.

We are asking you to be that ONE.

This October, local businesses will host events to raise support for survivors of abuse. But first—we kick it all off together. Read more on the website here.

Join us for the ONE Campaign Kickoff Event!

Wednesday Sept. 10, 5 to 8 p.m.

Dancing Grain Brewery, 180 Old West Rd, Gansevoort, NY 12831

Sept. 12, Saratoga Job Showcase

Friday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m. - noon: Anyone with an eye out for employment opportunities will want to mark their calendars for the upcoming Saratoga Job Showcase. The event — free and open to the public — will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Sept. 12 at Empire State University, 113 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs.

The showcase includes 50-plus area employers from diverse industries.

Job-seekers are invited to explore career opportunities while making real, in-person connections with recruiters and to take advantage of the free help including professional headshots offered on site, tips for developing a LinkedIn profile.

A special Veteran & Military Meet and Greet networking reception prior to the event begins at 9 a.m. The complimentary networking hour is open to all veterans, active-duty military members and those who serve or support veterans. Click here for more information.

Sept. 13: Front Porch Music Fest

Saturday Sept. 13, 1-4 p.m.: The annual Spring Street, Front Porch Music Fest.

Spring Street's neighbors invite you to enjoy the acoustic sounds of some of Saratoga's favorite local musicians while you stroll our street (closed to traffic between Court and Nelson) for our 6th Annual FRONT PORCH MUSIC FEST -- cuz there's just nothin' better than MUSIC to connect people and spread good vibes!!

Free & Open to the Public. Rain Date: Sunday Sep. 14. Read more and get their flier with full details on their Facebook page, here.

Saratoga News

Saratoga Springs: Vote on legal bills law. Capital Budget.

Run-down of the city's sales tax revenue.

By: Stephen Thurston

Mayor pulls vote on law from agenda

A proposed law that would update and codify the way in which city employees, volunteers and appointees are legally protected in case they are drawn into a lawsuit while doing their city business will have to wait.

Mayor John Safford held the second of what was to be two public hearings on the law Tuesday Sept. 3, but pulled voting on the law from his portion of the city council’s agenda, and kept the public hearing on the issue open.

Both the mayor and the Saratoga Springs Assistant City Attorney Tony Izzo took flack from council members Dillon Moran and Minita Sanghvi as well as people who spoke during the public hearing.

Among the troubles: People said they did not know the law would be

[For a sharable link to this story, click here.]

Read more

In this issue:

Top: Free city parking for the next 264 days

Mid: Kelly’s Angels annual gala next month

Bottom: Quiet moments in pictures with Sovereignty and Thorpedo Anna

Saratoga News

Saratoga Springs celebrates free parking

Drivers park free until Memorial Day weekend, 2026.

By: Stephen Thurston

The City of Saratoga Springs officials turned off the parking meters today in what Saratoga Chamber President Todd Shimkus called “a celebration of free parking” that lasts for 264 days a year.

This was the second year in a row that the city had charged for parking in city-owned garages, on streets and surface parking lots.

“So we are here to celebrate the fact that we are turning off our paid parking meters and a reminder to everybody that loves to come to Saratoga to dine and to shop and to walk around through Congress Park and go to our museums and all of the things that now you can do that without having to pay to park from now until at least Memorial Day,” said Deann Devitt, president of the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association. She also is a commercial loan officer and assistant vice president with Adirondack Trust Company.

Devitt and Shimkus were joined by Commissioner of Public Works Chuck Marshall and Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri.

Marshall said that the city will not hit its projected revenue for the parking of about $465,000, but that it is a workable situation with the revenue over $400,000 and paving budgeted at $250,000.

However, that is only one portion of the parking system.

Payments on loans to build or maintain the structures, salaries for the Public Safety staff who monitor the garages and lots and similar budgets all carve away at the remainder of the money, Marshall said in an interview after the event.

“The revenue will be about [$420,000]. There'll be some administration costs associated with collection and fees, and then again, we'll budget for the improvements through the lots and the garages,” he said at the event.

Some of the revenue was to go toward marketing downtown businesses through the DBA, but that has been modified, the DBA’s Devitt said.

“So we've worked with Chuck [Marshall] to come up with some other really great opportunities for us,” she said, adding that they plan to get fees for downtown events — such as the annual holiday decorating — reduced or eliminated.

The question of paid parking has been a contentious one for the city. Devitt said that she has heard from businesses that they are dealing with it. She, Marshall and Shimkus all said it is still something to track.

“I think people have accepted it a little bit more. And people that come to town expect to pay,” she said.

Shimkus and Marshall both mentioned the smaller businesses that are possibly hurt more by the parking fees. The comparison Shimkus made was that a $1 parking fee for a person stopping to buy a piece of jewelry worth $5,000 is small, but that same fee is a 20% increase for the person who stops to buy just a $5 cup of coffee.

“Think of Saratoga. It's unique. Go anywhere else in the region, the country, almost the world, and you're going to pay for parking,” Shimkus said. “So to have that uniqueness, I think, makes us special. So if there's a way to return to that, that would be incredible.”

The free parking covers city-owned garages, surface lots and streets. The Saratoga Springs Public Library and the Saratoga City Center handle their own parking fees.

Kelly’s Angels 15th Anniversary Gala

Join us October 11th, 2025 to celebrate 15 years of Kelly’s Angels at our “Calling All Angels” Gala at Saratoga Springs City Center! Tickets are on sale now!

It promises to be the party of the season, featuring live music by the Audiostars, full open bar for wine, beer and mixed drinks, dinner by Mazzone Catering, a silent auction featuring thousands of dollars in merchandise and experiences. We will be joined by some very important guests, and we have a few surprises up our sleeves, too!

The date wasn’t picked randomly. October 11th was the birthday of the late Kelly Mulholland, wife of Kelly’s Angels founder Mark Mulholland, for whom Kelly’s Angels is named.

“We are excited to host this party to celebrate all that we have accomplished over the past 15 years, and to celebrate the bright future for our charity,” Mark Mulholland said. “This will be a party you won’t want to miss, with the best local music, food, libations and auction items, all to raise money for Capital District families who can use the help of our all-volunteer charity.”

As with all Kelly’s Angels events, all proceeds from the gala will assist Kelly’s Angels in helping children in New York’s Capital Region who have lost a parent or sibling to cancer or other illness or are battling a life-threatening condition. Tickets are available at kellysangelsinc.org/gala.

Kelly’s Angels “Calling All Angels” Gala

Oct.11, 2025, 6 p.m.

Saratoga Springs City Center, 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Purchase tickets at or www.kellysangelsinc.org

saratoga springs race course

Sovereignty and Thorpedo Anna, as you've never seen 'em

To close out the 2025 meet, some quiet moments with 2 of our season's stars, courtesy of photographer Zach Skowronek.

By: Abby Tegnelia

Thanks to a new friendship forged with a well-placed and kind worker at the track, photographer Zach Skowronek stumbled upon a chance of a lifetime: capturing the great Sovereignty as he relaxed, grazed and showed off his winner’s blanket after winning the Travers, closing out a triumphant spring and summer that included wins at the Kentucky Derby, Belmont and Jim Dandy, too.

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2024 was a great tourism year.

Visitors spent nearly $2.5 billion in the Adirondack Region last year, up slightly from $2.3 billion the year prior, with Warren County representing 37 percent of the region’s tourism sales ($928 million), slightly trailing only Essex County at 39 percent ($964 million), a press release from Warren County says.

The latest statewide tourism impact study compiled by travel data firm Tourism Economics, underscores the Adirondack Region’s heavy reliance on its tourism sector despite its six counties raking in just 2 percent of the more than $94 billion total visitor spending statewide.

This report, online here, defines the Adirondack Region as the entirety of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Lewis and Warren counties.

The annual report found that once again tourism was more important to the Adirondack Region’s economy last year than that of any other region in the state. The industry directly generates nearly 19 percent of all employment here, the press release says.

In 2024, Warren County which includes much of the Lake George shoreline, the Six Flags theme park, and the Gore Mountain ski area, sustained the most tourism jobs in the Adirondack Region at 8,610.

Regional visitor spending last year reached nearly $2.5 billion throughout Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Lewis and Warren counties, an increase in direct spending of around 4.5%. That spending generated more than $153.7 million in local tax revenue, an increase of 2.3 percent over last year, and $136 million in state tax revenue, an increase of 4.9 percent over last year, according to the report.

Visitor spending in Warren County last year reached nearly $928.2 million compared with $887.8 million in 2023, an increase in direct spending of around 4.5 percent.

The local lodging industry saw the most notable bump in visitor spending, from $446 million in 2023 to $467 million last year. That spending generated more than $58.2 million in local tax revenue, an increase of 2.8 percent over last year, and $54.5 million in state tax revenue, an increase of 5.2 percent over last year, according to the report

— from a Warren County press release.

Clifford Oliver Mealy presents Becoming Solomon Northup

Victoria Pool House, 58 Roosevelt Ave. Saratoga Springs.
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
FREE, no registration required.

Upon starting a job with the Bureau of Historic Sites for New York State as a photographer, Mealy moved to Greenwich in Washington County in 1992. He walked into the local library where he was handed a first edition from the reference collection of “12 Years a Slave” by Solomon Northup. He could not put it down.

It was then he realized he not only didn't know anything about history, he didn't know anything about his own history. He took up the mantle interpreting Northup and 25 years later is known throughout the state for his thoughtful, soulful, and empathetic portrayal. Mealy will discuss Northup's life before and after the abduction and the lessons he has learned from becoming Solomon Northup.

The presentation is part of OPRHP's Solomon Northup "Hope Out of Darkness" statue series. The sculpture is on display in front of the Lincoln Bathhouse (65 South Broadway Saratoga Springs) at Saratoga Spa State Park until Oct. 7.

Accessibility Note : Due to its historic nature, the Victoria Pool House has steps leading into the space. A ramp is located at the 58 Roosevelt Bar and Grill entrance, but a single stair leads into the Victoria Pool House room.

Track

WHO at the track is allergic to horses?!

Top 3 endearing (or just plain funny) fun facts about some very familiar faces, to close out track season.

By: Abby Tegnelia

Fun fact No. 1: Frank Mirahmadi is allergic to horses.

“I'm allergic to horses, I swear to God,” Frank Mirahmadi told me during a “3rd Race Call” visit to the announcer’s booth, a daily activity — there are still a few tickets left for this final weekend — that raises funds for Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST). “Thank you for supporting BEST,” he continued. “They're helping people on the backstretch, and I like that. You won't find me on the backstretch though.” Instead, Saratoga’s announcer of three years stays perched in his booth, the highest spot at the track — and thus both the best vantage point for calling and the farthest from any animals.

But obviously, when you’re the announcer at a horse track and allergic to horses, high jinks will ensue…

[For a shareable link to this story, click here.]

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Track

Why Saratoga jockeys are being lured away our last weekend

Here’s who you’ll see if headed to the track this beautifully chill, for-the-locals weekend.

By Melanie E. Snyder, Special to the Dispatch

For a free version of this story and shareable link to it, click here.

A lot of our favorite Saratoga jockeys are packing up this Labor Day Weekend and heading south to Kentucky Downs for Saturday’s Grade 3 DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes — which this year has a staggering $3.5 million purse.

That’s the second-highest for any turf race in the country, behind only the Breeders’ Cup. By comparison, last year — the first since the race was renamed from the Dueling Grounds Derby — it had a more modest purse of $2.5 million.

So who’s leaving us when? All is not lost! Let’s take a peek.

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Last year, the Nashville Derby Invitational lured the likes of Joel Rosario, John Valazquez, Jose Ortiz and Flavien Prat away from Saratoga.

This year? Even more of our regular jockeys will be missing either part or all of the Spa’s final weekend, including Manny Franco, Junior Alvarado, Rosario, both Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz, and Luis Saez.

Jose and Saez are making their getaway to Kentucky Downs sooner than most; they’re both racing down south starting today.

MORE ON THE ORTIZ BROTHERS’ DIFFERENT FINAL WEEKENDS: Anticlimactic Riding Title finish ahead — here’s why/what to watch

Others are headed to Kentucky Downs just in time for the Derby on Saturday — Franco, Alvarado, Rosario and Irad are splitting their time between locations this week. All will be back on Sunday, when the big race will be the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, bringing back Highland Falls, Sierra Leone, Mindframe and White Abarrio. Velazquez will also be back from suspension in time for Sunday and will most likely race Monday, too. (Labor Day’s entries haven’t been released yet.)

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Headed to Saratoga Race Course on Saturday? You’ll still have plenty of familiar faces to root for. Jose Lezcano, Ricardo Santana Jr., Kendrick Carmouche, Christopher Elliott and Dylan Davis — among many others — will be riding. Big races include the Grade 2 Flower Bowl Stakes and the Grade 1 Spinaway.

Keep reading about the Spa’s 2025 season!

How Travers stacked up against this year’s epic Whitney, Fasig-Tipton

Track announcer Frank Mirahmadi dishes on Alabama weekend

Memorial race honors beloved member of Saratoga track family

News

Fancy new space coming to Saratoga High School

"Legacy" project updates presented to board.

By: Stephen Thurston

The Saratoga Springs City School Board saw draft plans to reshape the high school’s main floor and second floor atrium spaces. The plans were presented by the designer and manager of the “Legacy” projects that the school has been pursuing for nearly a decade.

The main entrance will receive a secure vestibule as other schools have received in recent years. Just beyond that the school will build a “learning stair,” a broad

[For a shareable link to this story, click here.]

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Mayor speaks with Gov. Hochul

Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford told the Dispatch that he met with Gov. Kathy Hochul briefly last week and discussed Short-Term Rental legislation. He later followed up and spoke an aide to the governor about STRs and getting more mental health services to the people who need them.

He mentioned that in her State of the State speech she mentioned “being more proactive” with individuals who cannot help themselves, especially with people who suffer from mental illness.

The mayor brought this up during a conversation about the city’s camping law that he maintains is a method to get people with disabilities into the city’s system of care. He said he is waiting to see what the governor’s ideas are.

According to the state website: The Office of Mental Health’s budget has risen to $6.3 billion, a net increase of $373.3 million from last year. The governor’s budget also includes another $16.5 million to “bolster” involuntary commitment and “Assisted Outpatient Treatment” at the county level throughout the state. Also the state has $2 million for additional OMH staff to increase reporting and monitoring, enhance statewide training, and provide additional support for counties and providers.

Correction: In the original draft of this story, we said the mayor spoke with Gov. Kathy Hochul about mental health services. They did not, the mayor corrected in a text to the Dispatch. He spoke to the governor about Short-Term Rental legislation. He spoke to an aide about mental health and STRs, as short-term rentals are known. It was our error and we apologize for the mistake.

Carpenters support Madigan in Mayoral race

Chris Dugan with the North Atlantic States Regional Carpenters Council confirmed for the Dispatch that his union plans to endorse Michele Madigan in her race for Mayor of Saratoga Springs. The official announcement should be forthcoming.

Keep reading:

Dispatch coverage of local races.

Track

Anticlimactic Riding Title finish ahead — here’s why/what to watch

The Ortiz brothers have been neck and neck all season, but then…

By: Abby Tegnelia

The Ortiz brothers have been neck-and-neck all season, vying for the Saratoga 2025 Riding Title for most wins. In fact, as of press time, Irad was at 53 and Jose 52.

Those paying super-close attention — entries are up through Saturday, and Jose made his big announcement on Travers Day — know why this brotherly competition is about to come to a screeching halt.

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How Travers stacked up against this year’s epic Whitney, Fasig-Tipton

Sovereignty was must-see TV but a boring bet — what did this mean for NYRA?

By: Abby Tegnelia

What a season.

As we ease into the last week of the 2025 meet, we can at last take a fair look at our season’s biggest race days and season highlights.

Belmont Day this year was rocky, betting wise — weather issues and postponed races aided a handle drop of 19 percent from 2024’s non-Triple Crown-year record-breaker, as explained in this June 7 report in BloodHorse.

But the Whitney and Fasig Tipton’s numbers were peak-excitement-level epic.

MORE ON THE WHITNEY: Whitney Day ‘25 brings in highest purse ever by wild amount

Even the galas broke records this year, as people opened their wallets for the nonprofits, too. The Hospital Gala, for example, landed $100,000 in 60 seconds, and AIM Services’ Croquet on the Green and Garden Party raised the event’s most ever.

So with all of this money flying around, how did Travers add up?

It was a tough few acts to follow.

The Whitney Day handle was up a staggering 22.7 percent over 2023’s record — with an increase of more than $10 million. And then Fasig Tipton enjoyed its third consecutive record-breaking year, finishing its 2025 sales at $82 million, a whopping 22.6 percent over last year.

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Travers, meanwhile, was gearing up to be a potentially history-making race. The great Sovereignty — winner of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont and Jim Dandy — was running at 1 to 4 odds to maybe become the first horse to win those three and the Midsummer Derby.

Fans packed the place, both eager to see Sovereignty run and because of the aforementioned excitement hanging in the air after a pretty spectacular season.

“We went to the track more this year than the last few years combined,” says a friend who brought her family-of-four to Travers Day. “It got fun again.”

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She wasn’t alone: Saturday’s attendance was up a teeny bit over last year. The handle, however, faced some challenges. While getting to see Sovereignty run got people in the doors, having such a heavy favorite is a boring bet. Plus, there was a tiny field, limiting some betting.

The end result: a handle that was down 14 percent from last year, according to an Aug. 24 piece in the Times Union. (But still the third-highest overall, according to the outlet.)

“We hit an exacta early on; the undercard was great today,” said the spectator. “But none of us put any money down on the actual Travers. We didn’t even think about it; we were having too much fun.”

Keep reading about this year’s track season!

Why clever Ewing call 'rejected' by announcer Mirahmadi

Party time: Local celeb wins with Caroline St. horse

Memorial race honors beloved member of Saratoga track family

News

Political leaks of a different sort

The race for DPW includes questions that should not slip through the cracks.

By: Stephen Thurston

When Bahram Keramati built his home on the west side of Saratoga Springs, he specifically asked that a basement be dug for it. But when Witt Construction hacked through the granite, water came in and did not stop, he told the Dispatch in a recent interview. He worried over how he would have a basement that was more of a pool than storage and he wondered whether some traditional techniques such as French drains around the foundation would be enough to stop the flood.

And then they tested the water — and found fluorides. Therefore, they knew it was not spring water but processed city water.

Witt and Keramati worked with the city and the Department of Public Works to find the leak. Once the pipe was plugged, his basement and some others nearby dried up, he said.

“BK,” as he is known, is running for Commissioner of the Department of Public Works, trying to unseat incumbent Commissioner Chuck Marshall, who won the seat in a special election in February.

“When I'm thinking about my campaign issues and what they are, one of the major things for me is water and the fact that most people around here are not familiar or aware of how at risk we are with our water infrastructure,” Keramati said.

“It's really interesting because we may be forced — in the future, or soon — to make a decision about alternate water sources for the city, like bringing water from the Hudson River or digging more wells,” he said. “Those are all very expensive. Before we consider anything about expanding our water source and what we're going to do, let's figure out what this is.”

One place to look is to stop the leakage. On average nationally, 11% of water is lost to leakage, Keramati said, but it is tough to know just how much leakage Saratoga Springs has.

Just under one-quarter of the city’s water is unaccounted for once it leaves the city’s water treatment facility. That is, last year, the city pumped 1.6 billion gallons, and 380 million gallons — nearly 25% — did not make it to the meters in homes, businesses or other buildings.

However, it’s not all leakage. City buildings, fire stations and hydrants do not have water meters. The city flushes water mains each year for cleaning and that water is unaccounted for.

Marshall agrees: There’s leakage. And both men said that it could easily be 11%.

However, people have to understand the system, Marshall said.

According to the 2024 annual water quality report, the city supplies 28,000 people through 9,680 service connections to buildings. The 142 miles of pipe in the system is created using 20-foot-long sections. Each connection in the pipeline is a potential leak.

“That means there's roughly 38,000 connections,” Marshall said, adding, “anytime there is a connection, there's going to be loss.”

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News

Proposed law in wake of "Brandi lawsuit"

Legal fees and who pays are at the center of the issue.

By: Stephen Thurston

In the wake of a lawsuit Saratoga Springs City Council lost earlier this month, Mayor John Safford has proposed a change in the city’s code that would determine how and when city employees can expect to be paid back if they run up legal bills for their work on the job. The proposed law covers elected and appointed officials, along with regular employees and some volunteers if they are involved in the legal system as part of their duties.

Safford released a draft of a law to create a revised Chapter 9 of the city’s code, called “Defense, Representation and Indemnification.” Safford said the new law aligns with chapters 18 and 19 of the New York State Public Officers Law “with some modifications tailored to the city of Saratoga.”

He opened a public hearing on the law on Tuesday Aug. 19, a hearing which will remain open at least through the next council meeting on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 474 Broadway.

This stems from the “Brandi lawsuit” that the city recently lost when State Supreme Court Justice James E. Walsh stopped payments

that the city had agreed to pay to reimburse four employees for their legal fees.

The judge sided with the plaintiff, Michael Brandi, the Saratoga Springs Republican Committee chair, stopping the city from making the payments. Read that story here.

“The intention of this new law is for the council to lawfully provide the widest possible scope of defense and indemnification for our city officers and employees acting within the scope of their public employment,” the mayor said at the start of the public hearing on the matter.

The proposed law is still under revision and may have changed since the drafting of this story. Readers can download a copy of the proposed law provided to the Dispatch on Thursday Aug. 21, here.

What came to light in the legal decision was that the current Chapter 9 relies too heavily on Chapter 18 of the state public officers law which indemnifies city workers only in civil cases, not in criminal ones. The stopped payments at the center of the “Brandi lawsuit” related to legal activity in a criminal investigation.

Also, the original law is 122 words long, and does not provide a procedure for employees to follow if they want or need to hire their own attorneys, or what a “reasonable fee” for those attorneys might be.

The proposed law requires the person hiring an attorney to work with the city, asking in writing for an outside council. The city’s attorney may determine whether an attorney is needed, and that decision can be appealed to the proper court for a judge to consider.

The process is similar for civil and criminal procedures.

To be clear, and many officials have mentioned this, the proposed law will not protect employees who have committed wrongful acts or crimes while working.

In criminal cases, the proposed law says that the city will cover a person’s legal fees and litigation expenses for providing testimony in a trial, to a grand jury or as a witness in an investigation of the city or employees. The fees are not covered if the person has committed a crime.

“The Brandi lawsuit,” asked the courts to stop the city of Saratoga Springs from paying for legal fees accrued to Commissioner of Accounts Dillon Moran, Deputy Commissioner of Accounts Stacy Connors, then-Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub, and city employee Brooke Van Buskirk.

The four had hired outside law firms after the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office opened an investigation into the “on-call” pay of deputy commissioners last year.

The fees for Moran and Connor amounted to $111,000 for Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, a law firm with offices worldwide. (Moran disputes that amount and says the actual bill is about one-third of that.) The fee for Golub and Van Buskirk amounted to about $2,300 to Schreiber Law of Saratoga Springs. The DA did not press charges.

The arguments during city council meetings surrounding whether or not the city had to pay these bills dealt with the fact that none of the four were named in the investigation, meaning they likely should not have been paid.

However, the four helped in the investigation by providing documentation and interviews. Hiring an attorney in that situation might be valid under the proposed law.

The city council members have also argued over whether the attorneys fees were “reasonable.”

The proposed law seems to directly address many of these issues.

Keep reading!

Judge sides with GOP on legal payments

UPDATED. Former Commissioner potentially sues Springs, Commissioner Coll

Read more of our cops and courts coverage here

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Paid subscriptions is how our company survives, and your help will get us there. Thank you again. — Abby Tegnelia and Steve Thurston, co-founders, editors

Subscribe now

We appreciate the readers we have, and we appreciate what they say about us!

“I have been informed you share an opportunity for good positive news for places and things.” —Aaron

“Looking forward to great content!!” —Steve (not the co-founder, Steve Thurston)

Lifestyle

Jon Batiste’s hotly-anticipated album release hits SPAC stage tonight

The jazz phenom releases ‘Big Money’ to an eager crowd during Philly Orchestra’s final weekend.

By: Abby Tegnelia

World-renowned jazz, soul, funk and R&B phenom Jon Batiste will hit the SPAC stage tonight to release his new album, Big Money, to an eager crowd. The musician, 38, hasn’t performed at SPAC since 2018’s Jazz Festival, four years before he swept the Grammys and then starred in a Netflix documentary.

“We've been wanting to get him back,” says SPAC President Christopher Shiley. “He had this incredible explosion of popularity and fame and has been one of the most in-demand touring artists since then. It’s a unique thing for Saratoga Springs to have this national album release at our venue right before he goes on a huge multi-city national tour. It’s really special.”

Wicked star Cynthia Erivo was originally scheduled for tonight’s show but

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How did Church Street get its name? This building holds the key.

On Church Street, a building holds a bicentennial, and the history is surprising.

By: Lauren Behan

Positively Saratoga

This exciting Positively Saratoga news is brought to you by our friends at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. Lauren Behan works with the Chamber.

A Spa City building is marking its 200th birthday, and its inhabitants are thrilled to celebrate the occasion.

To see more photos and get a sharable link to this story, click here.

The folks at Country Corner Cafe recently hosted a 200th anniversary event for its beloved building set at the corner of Church Street and Woodlawn Avenue in downtown Saratoga Springs.

“My love for the building began before I even bought the business. I dined here as a customer and knew it was so special,” said owner Julee O’Callaghan, who was intrigued to discover the businesses at the site have been women-owned since 1939.

“This building holds so much rich history in Saratoga Springs and we are so lucky to call it the home of Country Corner Cafe,” O’Callaghan said.

The cafe’s previous owner Roseanne Hotaling along with Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford and New York State Sen. Jim Tedisco all joined for the bicentennial celebration.

Samantha Bosshart, executive director of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, was in attendance as well, with lots of history to share about 25 Church St.

A foundation plaque on the 1825 building explains that the whole street is named after this structure, which was originally a Universalist Church, but for its bicentennial O’Callaghan and Bosshart dove a little deeper into its history.

“Not many would ever have guessed that the building had originally served as a church,” Bosshart said.

"Julee's enthusiasm to learn more about the history of the building that her business was located in was infectious,” she continued. “We were happy to assist her in learning more so she could share it with her customers.”

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After it’s short-lived time as a church, the building became a boarding house for “restorationists,” whose goal was to restore the original teachings of Christianity.

Its role as a commercial hotspot began in 1880 when a grocery and tobacco store opened. The year 1939 began the era of women-owned businesses at the property, including general store Kaye’s Newsroom run by Betty Kaye, then Anthony’s Country Kitchen operated by the Fitzgerald sisters, and finally Country Corner Cafe, founded by Hotaling in 1991.

Today, O’Callaghan is the woman whose entrepreneurial spirit occupies 25 Church St., and she is delighted to run her restaurant in such a beautiful, historical place.

The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation publicly thanked O’Callaghan for recognizing the building’s importance, and the owners, the Braim Family, for being good stewards of the building as “historic buildings make Saratoga Springs special and help to remind people of those who came before us."

Please forward this email, share the love!

We get compliments on a regular basis, here at the Dispatch, and hundreds of you have taken paid subscriptions. THAN YOU!! Please send this email along to friends, neighbors and colleagues. Let them know why you like reading Saratoga Dispatch and encourage them to subscribe.

Paid subscriptions is how our company survives, and your help will get us there. Thank you again. — Abby Tegnelia and Steve Thurston, co-founders, editors

We appreciate the readers we have, and we appreciate what they say about us!

“I have been informed you share an opportunity for good positive news for places and things.” —Aaron

“Looking forward to great content!!” —Steve (not the co-founder, Steve Thurston)

Lifestyle

‘Genre-defying’ SPAC premiere and after-party tonight

Hit the dance floor with DJ Masonic tonight after crowd favorite Time for Three with Philly Orchestra

By: Abby Tegnelia

The Philadelphia Orchestra is kicking off its last weekend with us with a really fun program — Copland & Bates with Time for Three — that feeds into an after-party at the Charles R. Wood Stage.

First, the orchestra will light up the SPAC stage with Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, a layered and deeply emotional, passionate piece that has made its way into several big pop culture moments to become recognizable to most. Then they’ll pick it up with Aaron Copland’s ever-joyful Appalachian Spring.

For the finale, SPAC welcomes back Grammy- and Emmy-winning Time for Three, who will perform the SPAC premiere (SPAC co-commissioned the piece as well) of Silicon Hymnal, a new concerto by Mason Bates.

“They're such a fun crossover group with this amazing genre-defying sound,” says SPAC President Christopher Shiley. “Mason is an incredible classical composer who does a lot with electronic music, which he incorporates into his composition. And there's going to be some singing and cool effects. Of course, with the support of the orchestra, too — that's going to be a really cool piece and one that I'm really excited to have.”

As it turns out, Mason moonlights as DJ Masonic, so after the show everyone’s invited to head on over to an after-party — and encore performance — at the Charles R. Wood Stage. There will be a cash bar, too.

“DJ Masonic and Time for Three are going to remix some of their songs, including some of their classics,” Shiley says. “So the night should be a lot of fun.”

For more info and to buy tickets, visit spac.org.

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You too can be an enviro-cop

From a press release:

The New York State Department of Civil Service has announced that the application period is now open for New York State’s entry-level law enforcement civil service exam. The exam is for interested, qualified applicants seeking a position throughout New York at the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Office of State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the State University of New York. Qualified candidates can apply online until 11:59 p.m., Sept. 17, 2025, to take the exam. There is no cost to take the exam as all state exam application fees are waived through December 2027. The exam is scheduled to be held in November.

“If you like helping people and making a difference in others’ lives, a career in law enforcement may be the right fit for you. I encourage you to apply for the entry-level law enforcement exam and take the first steps toward a job that protects New York’s special resources, institutions and, most importantly, people,” said Department of Civil Service Commissioner and Civil Service President Timothy Hogues in a statement.

More info:

Careers in NYS law enforcement

County to hold Narcan training, distribution

From a press release:

Saratoga County will hold free countywide Narcan training and distribution events on Tuesday, Aug. 26. A total of 30 events will be held throughout the day to bring awareness to overdose prevention and in recognition of the upcoming International Overdose Awareness Day (Aug. 31).

The Narcan Training Day is provided in partnership with the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, Saratoga County Sheriff's Office, Saratoga County Office of Emergency Management, Saratoga County Department of Health, Saratoga County Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, local law enforcement and emergency medical services agencies, and the organizations and businesses listed below.

Participants will learn how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose, how to administer nasal Narcan, and will receive a FREE Narcan overdose rescue kit. Training takes approximately 10 minutes.

Saratoga Springs locations, times (all dates Aug. 26):

• Healing Springs Recovery Community & Outreach Center: 125 High Rock Ave. Saratoga Springs; 9AM-8PM

• Saratoga County Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services: 135 S. Broadway Saratoga Springs; 10AM-6PM

• Saratoga Hospital Community Health Center: 24 Hamilton St. Saratoga Springs; 10AM-6PM

• Saratoga Hospital Main Location: 211 Church St. Saratoga Springs; 9AM-4PM

• Saratoga Springs Police Department: 5 Lake Ave. Saratoga Springs; 10AM-6PM

• Saratoga Springs Public Library: 49 Henry St. Saratoga Springs; 10AM-6PM

More info:

Saratoga County Narcan training events

News

Saratoga will see reduced speeds on most streets.

Some city council praise in the process.

By: Stephen Thurston

Three resolutions that will drop the city’s speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph passed with speed through the Saratoga City Council unanimously, Tuesday evening Aug. 19. Three resolutions were necessary to change the speed in various sections of the city.

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Engines Roar for a Cause

From a press release: The 4th Annual Upstate Chevy Dealers Autism Acceptance Race returns to Albany-Saratoga Speedway 2671 U.S. 9 in Malta on Friday, Sept. 5, transforming the track into a high-octane celebration of community, compassion, and inclusion. This powerful racing event, hosted by local nonprofit Racers 4 Autism, raises essential funds for two local champions of autism support, The Autism Society of the Greater Hudson Region and Bring on the Spectrum (BOTS). This year, Racers 4 Autism hired its first part-time team member with special needs, extending its impact beyond fundraising and into meaningful employment. At the heart of it all is Jordan Modiano, a Capital Region entrepreneur, Pro Stock racer, and proud dad to Rachel, his daughter who is on the autism spectrum. The event draws top-tier drivers from across the U.S. and Canada competing in Pro Stocks, Modifieds, Limited Sportsman and other car classes. Last year’s race raised more than $13,700. Grandstands open at 5:00 p.m., and racing begins at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, and children 11 or younger are $2.

Youths recognized for summer work

From a press release: Seventeen local youth who spent their summer working through Warren County’s Summer Youth Employment Program were celebrated Friday, Aug. 15, for their efforts helping local businesses, municipalities and non-profits during the busy season. The youth workers were recognized during an annual picnic luncheon for their work in the six-week summer program. Brianna Dunning of Warrensburg was named SYEP employee of the summer, honored for her efforts at Oscar’s Smokehouse in Warrensburg.

News

Five ticketed in camping protest

Protesters set up "Camp Liberation Stakes"

Stephen Thurston

Aug 19, 2025

∙ Paid

Five protesters against the city’s “no camping law” were issued tickets by Saratoga Springs Police Department officers over the weekend, according to a police report and protesters. The tickets are “appearance tickets” meaning they are not criminal citations, but violations against the “Camping Prohibited on Certain Public Property” law, enacted July 1. They are to appear in Saratoga Springs City Court in front of Judge Francine Vero Sept. 4.

The tickets are similar to a parking ticket in that they do not create a criminal record for the person who is issued one.

The five included, Alexus Brown, age 25, of Saratoga Springs; Angela “Diogenes” Kaufman, 44, of Saratoga Springs; Jacob Feinland, 24, of Albany; Samantha Romero, 43, of Delmar; and Martin Manley, 69, of Schenectady.

The five were part of a larger protest against the law which says

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“Progress for the People” town hall scheduled in Glens Falls

On Friday, Aug. 22, national progressive leaders will join local advocates and union members in Glens Falls for a community town hall at 5 p.m. highlighting the damaging impacts of the recently passed Republican budget law, a press release from Indivisible ADK/Saratoga says. Special guests will include U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT).

“We are inviting everybody to come. This is open to the public,” but people are asked to RSVP (click here) in order to get the location of the meeting, said Joe Seeman with Indivisible ADK/Saratoga. “We warmly invite people of any political party or no political party to attend.”

The group says that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have pushed policies that cut essential services and increase the cost of health care, groceries, utilities, student loans, and more, while giving tax breaks to corporations and the ultra-wealthy. The Republican budget law threatens working families in New York and across the country.

This event will unpack how these federal policies impact health care, education, cost of living, labor rights, and climate action, the press release says. It is hosted by Progressive Caucus Action Fund, Indivisible ADK/Saratoga, Communications Workers of America, and Citizen Action of New York.

Franklin Center needs school supplies, like hula-hoops

The Franklin Community Center in Saratoga Springs has an urgent need for school supplies, and donations can be made at their center at the backdoor of 95 Washington St. during regular office hours, or at the mayor’s office in City Hall, 474 Broadway, Saratoga Springs (until Aug. 25).

The center’s Facebook page, which they update weekly, says they need hula hoops, clear glue, and cardstock (white and colored). Their Project Lift program

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Three stories in today’s lunch break:

Top: For kids and their summer-weary parents, Northshire upstairs is open!

Mid: Habitat for Humanity has a brand new director. We have the interview

Bottom: Party pix from AIM’s revamped fashion show. Find out who’s best-dressed!

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Kids: Northshire Bookstore reopens upstairs

In an email to their list, Northshire Bookstore announced the reopening of the kids section of the bookstore at 424 Broadway starting today.

“It’s been a long road since our Saratoga Springs store was closed unexpectedly on July 4th, and all of us at Northshire have been incredibly heartened by the warm wishes we’ve received from so many of our friends and customers,” the store wrote.

The store flooded July 4 when a pipe on a floor above them leaked. The entire store was closed until July 31 when the main floor reopened, with a smaller children’s books and toys section on that floor to accommodate families. In the meantime, they sold books online and curbside and moved most author events to the Saratoga Springs Public Library. event with Mark Marchand will take place in the store on Aug. 26 as scheduled; however; story time in Saratoga is cancelled until further notice, they wrote.

“We are so excited to welcome our youngest book lovers back to the store!” they wrote.

Positively Saratoga

First interview: Habitat for Humanity’s new Exec. Director, Sharon Horton

Horton tells the ‘Dispatch’ why housing support for some is an investment for all.

By: Lauren Halligan Behan, Saratoga Chamber

This exciting Positively Saratoga news is brought to you by our friends at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

There’s a new leader at the helm of our local Habitat for Humanity.

Sharon Horton was recently appointed Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties, bringing new energy, proven leadership and a powerful personal connection to Habitat’s mission.

The famous nonprofit is a donor-driven, volunteer-powered organization committed to making homeownership a reality for those striving toward that dream while addressing the critical need for affordable housing in our community.

A paid subscription supports local, independent journalism in Saratoga — and the Dispatch’s commitment to covering local nonprofits.

In this Q&A with the Dispatch — her first interview since taking on her role — Horton shared more about her vision for the future of the organization.

Q: What is your goal in this new role?

A: At its heart, this role is about community investment — every home we help build becomes a generational asset, a source of pride, and a catalyst for healthier and more vibrant neighborhoods.

My goal is to serve Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties by revitalizing neighborhoods, strengthening our local housing inventory, and expanding pathways to affordable homeownership. When families can put down roots, it stabilizes schools, supports small businesses, and keeps the local workforce strong — benefits that ripple across our communities.

Q: Why is Habitat for Humanity’s mission important to you?

A: My journey, from raising three children as a single mom to becoming a homeowner and leading mission-driven nonprofits, rests on the same values Habitat champions: strength, stability and the power of community. Purchasing my first home on my own opened doors to independence and security, and I witnessed the profound impact on my family’s well-being.

Just like the families we serve, I used homeownership to build a foundation for the legacy I hope to leave my children and grandchildren. I’m deeply grateful for the neighbors, mentors and opportunities that made that possible. I’m committed to paying it forward for local families ready to do the same.

Q: What does this summer entail for the organization?

A: This summer brings renewed energy in leadership, along with a clear focus on growth and impact. Our ReStore continues to thrive, and its success directly fuels our mission: every purchase and donation helps fund the construction of affordable homes and the revitalization of neighborhoods across our region.

We’re actively moving forward on our Warrensburg project, with the foundation and site work targeted for completion by early fall and the home set before the holidays. We are currently encouraging and accepting applications for this home from qualified local families.

Q: How can folks help Habitat for Humanity in their community?

A: We are continuously inspired by the time, talent, and treasure our volunteers bring to this mission. Their hands-on commitment, whether swinging a hammer, organizing donations or offering professional expertise, forms the backbone of our work. Their efforts amplify our impact and sustain the heart of everything we do.

Q: What else do you want folks to know about Habitat for Humanity?

A: Our homebuyers are hardworking local families with low to moderate incomes who are committed to achieving the dream of homeownership. Participants are selected based on need, readiness and partnership.

Habitat partners with families earning 50–80% of the area median income to create a clear path to affordable homeownership. This is more than purchasing a house — it’s building a legacy of stability, equity and opportunity.

Ways to get involved:

• Volunteer at ReStore: Support sales that fund our mission through customer service, merchandising, and donation processing.

• Build Site Crew: Whether with brush strokes or placing the last stone in the garden path, your efforts help complete the home.

• Serve on the board or committees: Lend leadership, governance, and strategic insight to strengthen organizational health.

• Donate goods to ReStore: Give new or gently used furniture, appliances, building materials, and home goods.

• Make a financial gift: One-time or monthly gifts help us purchase materials, keep homes affordable, and accelerate builds.

• Become a sponsor and support with in-kind services: Businesses can underwrite build days, sponsor events, or donate professional services and materials.

Applications are currently being accepted. Learn more and find out if you qualify for our Homeownership Program at glensfallshabitat.org.

Keep Reading more Positively Saratoga stories:

Renee Fleming, a diner to remember, SPAC seeks singers and more!

Dish Saratoga

AIM Services’ croquet bash brings back fan-fave fashion show

Plus: Award-winners, record-breaking fundraising and party pics.

By: Abby Tegnelia

AIM Services’ Croquet on the Green and Garden Party has always had excellent fashion — but the event’s actual fashion show had been long retired. The always stylish Natalie Sillery — who will next reign over a runway at Sunday’s Tribute to Transforming Lives at the 1863 Club — however, brought the Best Dressed Contest back this year.

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It must have added a layer of excitement — the afternoon affair overall raised a record-breaking $73,000 for recreation programs for people with disabilities.

There were three Best Dressed awards given out at the comeback fashion event at Gavin Park last week, including

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Three stories in today’s lunch break:

Top: Thursday’s al fresco Fire Feast promises flaming good time

Mid: Renée Fleming leads free talk on healing through art

Bottom: BOCES Driver Ed. program offered in Saratoga

Dish Saratoga

Thursday’s al fresco Fire Feast promises flaming good time

From pre-dinner artisanal bread to dessert’s carrot-ginger bread, Pitney Meadows’ outdoor fire-cooked feast ignites culinary magic.

By: Abby Tegnelia

A sunset al fresco feast close enough to the open fire pits it was cooked on to smell the lingering earthy aromas? Thursday’s Fire Feast promises to ignite the senses before guests even sit down to eat.

The late-summer tradition is pure Pitney Meadows glory: eating local, spending time outdoors, and meeting like-minded folks while wandering the gardens and breaking bread at community tables.

"This year, Fire Feast is an even deeper expression of place,” Pitney’s Executive Director, Brooke McConnell, tells the Dispatch. “Every ingredient — every vegetable, every drizzle of honey, every cut of meat — comes directly from the fields of Pitney Meadows and our partners at Echo Farm, ensuring the meal is as fresh, seasonal and rooted in our region as possible.”

Thursday’s drool-worthy menu — there are still a limited number of tickets available for the 6 to 9 p.m. event — promises a unique experience unlike anything currently on the menu in Saratoga. After a spread of bread, farm-made cheeses and local honeycomb, expect griddled eggplant topped with shaved cured egg yolks for a silky and savory richness. Then dig into a course of wood-fired heirloom vegetable flatbreads on beef tallow naan. The smoky bites promise a touch of cultured yogurt and picturesque edible blooms.

Be sure to save enough appetite for the main course. Think grass-fed beef from the hearth, topped with flavorful Argentinian chimichurri, and blackened veggies with an herby chermoula sauce. Or rip into fall-off-the-bone pork, cooked asado-style.

The unique dessert course promises to be a crowd-pleaser: grilled carrot-ginger bread with flavored whipped cream, creamy corn pudding and fresh fruit. The pairing? A popcorn and fennel digestif.

"The menu reflects the very peak of summer’s bounty, with dishes designed to highlight the vibrant flavors, colors and textures that define this moment in the growing season,” McConnell says. “It’s a true farm-to-fire-to-plate experience, crafted entirely within a few miles of where it’s served, making every bite a genuine taste of New York in August."

All that food requires an army of local talent, including Farmstead Catering with Echo Farm, The Shepherd's Hearth, Chef Kevin Sprouse, Grounded NY, and The Baker's Bench.

There will also be live music — and an open bar. In addition to craft beers from Druthers Brewing Company and wine from Old Tavern Farm, there will be cocktails (often with locally grown fruits and herbs) from Bars without Boundaries, One With Life tequila, Hamlet & Ghost, Albany Distilling Company, and First Fill Spirits.

Thursday’s Fire Feast is 6 to 9 p.m. at Pitney Meadows. For tickets and more information, visit 2025 Fire Feast.

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Keep Reading about Pitney Meadows!

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Positively Saratoga

Renée Fleming leads free talk on healing through art

Thursday’s event explores how music and the arts can ease pain, boost mental health, and aid Alzheimer’s care.

By: Abby Tegnelia

The day before the great Renée Fleming’s much-anticipated SPAC performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra, she’ll be hosting a much more intimate experience at the Spa Little Theater.

The 4 p.m. event — which is free to the public, see registration below — is a book festival keynote-esque discussion about the connection between art and mental health. The world-famous soprano is the author of Music and Mind with Renée Fleming: Harnessing the Arts to Heal and Connect and will serve as the event’s host.

“She will lead a panel discussion on the topics of her book Music in Mind, which looks at the exploration and connection between music and wellness,” SPAC President Christopher Shiley tells the Dispatch. “It’s going to be a really interesting exploration. The panel of experts will talk about different ways that art is being utilized to heal and rebuild and connect people.”

On stage with Fleming will be psychology and neuroscience researcher Dr. Psyche Loui, creative arts therapist Bree Beaudette, and SPAC’s VP of Education Dennis Moench. The event— during which Fleming will share personal stories and insights about these issues from her own career — will include an audience Q&A and is scheduled to wrap up by 5:15 with a book signing with Fleming.

“We want people to come out and really dig deeper into the art and the power of art and why we do what we do,” Shiley says. “And it dovetails nicely into her full performance [the next day].”

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Topics are expected to include how the arts support healing from pain, treating anxiety and depression, regaining speech after stroke or brain injury, and improving mobility for individuals with conditions like Parkinson’s disease and MS — plus, the panel will discuss evolution, brain function, childhood development, and the role of technology in arts and health.

The experts will also share groundbreaking new art therapies and music-based interventions for individuals with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s.

For details or to register, visit spac.org.

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BOCES Driver Ed. program offered in Saratoga

Employment Training for Adults is offering a 48-hour, non-credit driver education program in September. The course covers appropriate driving skills, habits and responsibilities of safe driving. The course includes 24 hours of classroom time and 24 hours of in-car instruction. Successful completion of this course will satisfy the state’s 5-hour pre-licensing course requirement. Classes: BOCES F. Donald Myers Education Center, 15 Henning Road, Saratoga Springs. An additional 44 hours behind-the-wheel practice is required by DMV (totaling 50 hours) before students take the road test. Sign up or get information here.

Column as I See ‘Em – Saratoga Report Publisher Dan De Federicis shares his Saratoga gripes, thoughts, gripes, experiences, gripes, and gripes.

That’s his headline above. There’s actually a lot of nice stuff, too. Click here to read Dan’s column.

Three stories in today’s lunch break:

Top: Race honors one of the track’s family

Mid: Local tourism economy: So far so good.

Bottom: Tay Tay meet Laufey (pronounced Layvay), the SPAC sensation.

Memorial race honors beloved member of Saratoga track family

Friday’s Race 9 was dedicated to Bob Verbanic, whose early story embodies the behind-the-scenes magic of Saratoga track life.

By: Abby Tegnelia

Track insider Sue Jeffreys’ simple Instagram post featured a photo of Friday’s Race 9 Post Parade entry and was captioned, “Blessings to the Verbanic Family.” The name of the race: The Bob Verbanic Memorial.

The race — won by Three B’s with Joel Rosario aboard — honored the youngest sibling of the Verbanic family, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 57. His Saratoga loved ones remember his time working at the track and gathered near the Winner’s Circle to watch his race on Friday, a few hours after spreading his ashes at the Infield finish line that morning.

“I sprinkled some of his ashes on and near the base of champion Go For Wand’s burial stone,” says his eldest sister, Gerette “Gigi” Verbanic, a hot walker for trainer Melanie Giddings. “My brother loved it with everything in him. I am indebted to NYRA. What a tremendous gift to the family.”

Bob was born and raised in Saratoga, and even started his career here with his choice of summer job at the track. “He was a Pinkerton at a very young age, around 18,” Gigi says of the detective agency that was founded in 1850 and worked with the track until 1989. “He absolutely loved it. As a Pinkerton, he did security and stall/barn checks, and escorted the jockeys on the grounds.”

When Bob was about 22 he moved to Louisville and enjoyed a long career in security after those early, beloved years doing his barn checks — and never let his eyes veer too far from Saratoga Race Course

“Bobby loved Thoroughbreds as much as I do,” Gigi tells the Dispatch. “Our phone calls after, ‘Hi, how are you, how are the dogs?’ were all about the horses, their pedigree and their careers. We loved those conversations as we shared a deep, deep love and respect for the Thoroughbred horse. I wish my brother knew how much he taught me long before hot walking. How I will miss our talks.”

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Gigi embodies the pure love of horses that the Verbanic family exhibit, sprinkling her stories and memories with “horses first.” Giddings recently named a horse — Gigi Cake’s — after her. The filly’s sire was none other than Tiz the Law and was named after the hot walker’s reputation for bringing cakes to the barn to celebrate workers’ birthdays. “I’ve never heard of any trainer doing this,” Gigi says. “I will always be indebted and grateful for this monumental dream come true. I’m so proud to work for a woman of integrity always putting her horses first.”

Bob passed away March 4 and is survived by his five siblings: Gigi, Joe, Jackie Verbanic-Smith, Kristen Kristel and Mike.

Keep reading more about the track!

This moving race brought tears to a stunned crowd

Whitney Day ‘25 brings in highest purse ever by wild amount

Frank Mirahmadi makes slam dunk of a call

Economic indicators in Spa City look good

Discover and Chamber leadership likes their numbers

By: Stephen Thurston

June of 2025 was a big month for Saratoga County's lodging properties with revenue per available room at $145.75 in 2025 versus $137.25, up 6% in the County while RevPAR in the City of Saratoga Springs coming in at $178.67 in 2025, up 6.8% versus $167.25, in 2024, according to numbers supplied at the end of last month from Discover Saratoga, the tourism nonprofit.

“Overall our lodging partners are showing very strong occupancy,” said Darryl Liggieri, president of Discover Saratoga, the tourism organization. He said the Belmont race in June leading directly into the special start of the annual race meet on July 4 was a key, and thus far the numbers are holding into the fall.

“We were up in every category in June in the city and the county,” he said. “July has been a strong month as well.”

Add to that the “series of great concerts” at SPAC — Dave Matthews Band, Phish, the New York City Ballet — which started mid-July, and the area has the makings for a great summer.

“These demand generators have been tremendous,” Liggieri said.

He said that fall, which can fill with conferences and conventions years in advance is also strong into November this year.

“The forward pace for fall is very encouraging,” he said with weddings, sporting events, leisure travelers, and leaf peepers all helping keep the rooms full. “The pace right now is very encouraging.”

Saratoga County's labor force now stands at 126,700 versus 126,200 one year ago. This figure includes the number of individuals employed plus the number unemployed but looking for work.

The labor force in January 2025 started lower than January 2024, but showed strong, consistent growth through March with a slight decline in April and a bigger drop in May, a statement from the Saratoga County Chamber says.

A strong finish in June helped in both years, a report from the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce says.

“So the good news of that is that the other thing that does show is, throughout that whole period, our labor force has grown so more people are working today in 2025 than were in this area in 2024,” said Todd Shimkus, the president of the chamber.

Keep reading on the local economy, travel and tourism:

County’s tourism numbers are stable

Hot Lake George activity gets top marks for accessibility

Counter, intuitive: Five Points deli reopens with familiar faces

Sold-out Laufey was a hit, fans compared to Swifties

Laufey — the Gen Z phenom that sold out Saturday's SPAC show with the Philly Orchestra — was a hit.

"Laufey was amazing," raved one fan who had not heard of the Icelandic star before being told she had to buy a ticket. "With the backdrop of the Philadelphia Orchestra, she was incredible."

Laufey's identical twin sister, Junia Lin, was in the crowd and filled the newbies in on a few things.

Why did everyone in the audience have a bow in their hair?

"She said that Laufey wears them, who knew?" says the new fan.

Why is everyone wearing crowns?

"Apparently, she just hosted a birthday party complete with crowns," says the Dispatch's new concert reporter.

"I felt like I was at a Taylor Swift concert," she said of the concert overall. "There were lots of tweens screaming and singing to every word to her songs."

Let's hear it for the next generation of jazz and classical music fans!

Keep reading about Laufey, SPAC!

Who is Laufey, the Gen Z sensation

CANCELLED: 'Wicked' star Cynthia Erivo’s highly-anticipated SPAC concert

Philly Orchestra brings in the young guns for a stellar Week 1

Willie Nelson’s final songs