Local First Saratoga North Edition 012722

Saratoga North Edition | Thursday, January 27, 2022

Official awarded no-bid contract Councilman quits county development arm, minutes later is tapped to oversee it ByLINE: WENDY LIBERATORE

Flag (front line

appreciation group)

Saratoga relaunches to support front line workers during next surge of COVID-19

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The founders of FLAG Saratoga have relaunched their grassroots campaign to support local frontline workers at a time when hospitals and healthcare workers are being significantly strained again by the pandemic.

FLAG Saratoga was founded in the spring of 2020 by four Saratoga residents: Nadine Burke, Becky Kern, Andrea Macy and Lisa Munter. Originally they they raised more than $40,000 which resulted in more than 4,000 meals and gift cards delivered to over 30 different hospital departments, nursing homes, fire, police and EMS departments throughout Saratoga.

“We have been asked to restart our efforts and due to the outpouring of support that we received the last time, we knew we could quickly mobilize to help out,” said co-founder, Lisa Munter. “Our community is filled with so many generous and resilient people who are always willing to give back and help each other,” Munter added. “We are counting on this support so we can pass it along to our healthcare workers who really need it.”

Working alongside the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce and the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, the group is raising money through the Chamber’s dedicated fundraising page on their website. All money will go directly into providing meals, snacks and other resources Please see FLAG 6

MALTA - A Malta town councilman and former board member of Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership was awarded a $7,000-a-month no-bid contract with the Partnership, the county's economic development arm.

Tim Dunn, who is founder of the marketing and communications firm Dunn Strategy Group, was entrusted with day-to-day operations of the Partnership in September at the end of a meeting in which he stepped down from his board position.

As part of the contract -- the details of which were obtained from the county through a Freedom of Information request -Dunn receives a monthly base fee that over the six months ending in March will add up to $42,000.

After that, the contract will be reviewed.

pervisors Chair Todd Kusnierz and County Administrator Steve Bulger, came out of executive session, meeting minutes show, Dunn announced his resignation at 4:55 p.m.

The next board action was entering into the contract with Dunn.

Echoing Dunn, Kusnierz texted the Times Union that the contractor "was not a board member when he was unanimously appointed by the board."

Kusnierz did not respond to a follow-up question about Dunn's resignation immediately before he was awarded the contract.

County spokeswoman Christine Rush said the Partnership is not a county agency and that all questions on its activities should be directed to Moran, the board chair; she did not return a Times Union call seeking comment.

A person familiar with the contract who asked not to be identified said the county did not go out to bid for the service. The person said the Partnership currently

has no staff, and Dunn's contract will require him to supervise and manage day-today activities of the entity along with outreach, DUNN marketing, engagement, strategic development and new program activities.

Former Milton Town Supervisor Benny Zlotnick said he was on the Partnership board at the time of Dunn's resignation/hiring, and explained that because the entity had no staff, the board members looked to Dunn.

"I'm sure Tim is doing a good job, but the way the board is configured it would have passed anyway," said Zlotnick, who voted yes to the contract. "The way things are now on the board, the board can do whatever it wants with the Partnership. It's kind of frightening. It's a Republican club."

The Partnership was established in 2015 by county officials

Judge dismisses charges against activist Jamaica Miles ByLINE: WENDY LIBERATORE

SARATOGA SPRINGS - City Judge Francine Vero dismissed charges against Black social justice advocate Jamaica Miles after Miles' attorney argued she was falsely accused and targeted by city police because of her race.

In a written decision on Monday, Vero dismissed the charges of unlawful imprisonment and disorderly conduct -- charges police had alleged stemmed from blocking cars on Broadway during a July 14 protest -- because, the judge wrote, "Ms. Miles was not the most culpable."

"She was simply the loudest," Vero wrote.

"What differentiates Ms. Miles from the other protesters is the volume and intensity of her voice. Ms. Miles blocks the vehicle's path for about three minutes while other protesters stand in front of the car for the duration. ...

Furthermore, the video plainly shows the crowd was already blocking the vehicle's path before Ms. Miles arrived upon the scene.

Contrary to the assertion of the People at the Hearing, no evidence was introduced establishing that Ms. Miles was a 'leader' of the group in this case."

Last Thursday in court, Miles' attorney Kevin Luibrand offered photographic and video evidence showing that Miles did not initiate blocking traffic on Broadway near Phila Street during a July 14 protest.

Please see CONTRACT 7

"Jamaica was treated different not because of anything she did on July 14, but because of who she was, what she was saying and how LORI VAN BUREN / TIMES UNION loudly she said it," Luibrand said on Jamaica Miles listens to her attorney, Kevin Luibrand, speak last Monday.

Thursday during her preliminary hearing in Saratoga Springs City Luibrand also pointed to his Court. other client, Molly Dunn, who is white and stood in front of the cars rally, which was assembled after Assistant Pothe entire time. Dunn, who testified at Miles' lice Chief John Catone said he would use his hearing, faced the same charges but hers were family's 130-year history to end the narrative dismissed with an adjournment in contempla- that city police are racists. tion of dismissal after 30 days.

"Today's decision does not only impact me," "What is the difference?" Luibrand asked.

Miles said in a lengthy statement. "It impacts "Molly is white, Jamaica is not." every single person who dares to stand up The Saratoga County Assistant District and speak out for what they believe in. I was Attorney Joe Frandino wanted Miles, who has targeted because I speak out against injustice no criminal record, to plead guilty to disorand people listen. Saratoga Police declared derly conduct arguing she was the leader of that they would stop the narrative, stop our the protest. Frandino argued dismissing the speech, deny us justice. But today, the judge charges is "a slippery slope." District Attorney made a decision based on the furtherance of Karen Heggen did not return a Times Union justice, something both the Saratoga Police phone call on Monday to discuss the case.

Department and the Saratoga District AttorVero wrote the dismissal "will have a posiney's Office not only refused to do but were tive impact on upon the public's confidence in in direct opposition to doing. ... May today's the criminal justice system in that defendants decision be a victory that ensures no one else with the same clear criminal justice history experiences what we have gone through for and the same or similar charges stemming our rights and our freedoms." from the same incident will essentially receive At the protest, in which police were suited the same disposition." with riot gear, patroled on horses and brought Miles, on Monday, released a statement on out an armored vehicle, officers charged and the decision in connection with the July 14 Please see MILES 6

Affordable housing ‘disappearing’ in county Development pressures threaten manufactured home parks and the people who live there

BALLSTON SPA - Two years ago, Chris Wheeler sank all his savings into buying a mobile home. He settled in, ready to live out his days in a 16-lot park near Saratoga Lake.

But his comfort came with a caveat. Wheeler, like most mobile home park residents, could lay claim to his home and everything in it. But not the land it sits on.

Thus, when the landowner sold the property to someone who wanted to use it for a boat storage facility last spring, Wheeler was faced

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He also receives reimbursement of expenses, including mileage. Any expense above $500 requires preapproval.

When reached on Monday, Dunn said that he couldn't talk about the county contract.

"Any formal comment has to come from the county," Dunn said. "I'm not authorized to speak on the county's behalf. ... I generally don't speak on the record about my business dealings."

Dunn, a Republican, also said that he wasn't on the board when the contract was awarded. The contract officially began on Oct. 1 and runs through March 31.

While that's technically true, he was on the board at the beginning of the meeting, chaired by Wilton Comptroller Maria Moran, that ended with the contract being awarded. Minutes show that the board elected to go into executive session "to discuss a contract negotiation," a vote from which Dunn abstained.

When the board, which also included county Board of Su-

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with a problem he didn’t anticipate. He would have to move.

“We can’t afford it,” the former firefighter said. “This is the difficult part. Affordable housing is disappearing. It’s just going away. How are we are going to live? I didn’t go to Harvard. I don’t have a million dollars in the bank. We can’t afford $1,000 a month mortgage so, instead, I have to afford a $1,400 a month in rent. That’s mind-blowing to me.”

Wheeler’s situation highlights the scarcity of affordable housing in Saratoga County, one of the fastest-growing counties in New York. According to 2020 U.S. Census figures, the county had the second-highest growth rate for new housing construction of any New York county, Please see PARKS 2

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PARKS CONTINUED FROM 1

with an 11 percent increase over the past decade.

The county also has one of the widest income gaps in the nation. In 2019, the Economic Policy Institute found Saratoga County ranked 28th in income inequality of more than 3,000 U.S counties, just three spaces below San Francisco. Statewide, Saratoga County ranked behind Manhattan and Westchester County.

This is in contrast with another Saratoga County statistic: It is home to more mobile home parks than any county in the state.

According to the state Homes and Community Renewal agency, which tracks such parks, in 2019 Saratoga County had 105 parks with 6,566 available homes. That’s 8 percent of the state’s entire inventory of manufactured homes.

Dutchess County is second with 88 parks, but nearly half as many homes, 3,726.

Statewide, in 2019, there were 1,811 parks with 83,929 homes.

Affordable housing advocate Cheryl Hage Perez said Saratoga County’s appeal to developers threatens mobile home parks, which account for the bulk of the county’s affordable housing stock.

“They are very critical,” Perez, executive director of the Veteran’s and Community Housing Coalition, said. “There is a lack of affordable housing for veterans, service workers and for lower-income residents. Mobile homes are a big part of the county’s affordable housing.”

And, she added, while there are highly competitive state grants available to build more affordable apartments, there is not a lot of help for those who

LOCAL FIRST | SARATOGA NORTH

live in manufactured home parks.

That’s changing, however. Homes and Community Renewal acknowledged that maintaining such housing stock throughout the state is essential. For the last few years, the agency has been strengthening protections for residents of manufactured homes, a term the industry prefers to mobile homes.

“It’s a very large chunk of affordable housing in New York state,” said Dina Levy, senior vice president with Homes and Community Renewal. “It serves very low-income people.

Sales of parks is a trend nationally with private investors, big private investors, starting to turn their attention to this stock.

There is a lot of concern in New York state and the government is turning its attention to it.”

First, a bit of mobile home history.

Many longtime officials and residents of Saratoga County said they don’t know how the parks became so prolific. However, they have theories, mainly that land was cheap and there was no zoning. Others have said that Milton, which has the most manufactured home parks in the county, attracted more parks to accommodate the nearby U.S. Naval Support Activity base in Saratoga Springs.

In a 2019 Florida National Public Radio interview, Tim Sheahan, former president of the Manufactured Home Owners Association, said mobile home parks took root after World War II on campgrounds as a place for veterans to settle. He said the parks flourished in the 1960s and 1970s as affordable housing for senior citizens and young families in rural areas.

Sheahan also said they were profitable for investors, with a better rate of

return than apartments as only grounds maintenance was required.

“Investors are finding a decent risk/reward metric when it comes to rate of return,” Sheahan said at the time.

Affordability, woes What lures tenants to buy a manufactured home is the cost. Residents interviewed for this story said a used mobile home might sell for as little as $20,000 — resulting in manageable monthly mortgage payments. On top of the mortgage, however, residents in a manufactured home park must also pay rent on the land the home sits on, which can run into hundreds of dollars a month.

“I purchased my home for about $30,000 in 2005,” said Malta Gardens resident Kristina Hardy Allen. “I was given a monthly payment estimate of $250 per month.

But because of my lack of credit, I was forced into a 12-year loan for $487 per month. My lot rent was $475. Now my rent is $622.

It’s rough.”

Despite paying rent on the land, a manufactured homeowner has no control over the conditions of the park.

A longtime resident of Hammond Lane Mobile Home Park in Gansevoort said she bought her home in 1997 because she was tired of renting apartments and Hammond Lane was a “meticulous, beautiful park with no riff-raff.”

But the resident, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said the park changed hands and the new landlord, Richard Woodcock, has let the park “go downhill.” She said trees, the responsibility of the landowner, crash down on buildings and block roads, and abandoned homes are

“It’s one of our main issues,” said Allen, who manages the community’s Facebook page. “The management doesn’t put money back into the infrastructure. We have been here since 2006 and things have only gotten worse.”

The blames the owner, Solomon Organization, a large entity that owns rental properties in the Capital Region and across multiple states. She said Solomon doesn’t keep up with the roads and hasn’t fixed streetlights, leaving some areas of the road dangerous for pedestrians and children.

Solomon disputes that, saying it has poured millions into infrastructure since 2018 and said water is sufficient through its well system that is fully compliant with the state Department of Health.

Solomon spokesman Ron Simonici sent a long statement on the water problems, tasking homeowners with the responsibility of making sure their water line hookups don’t freeze.

“The only disruption of water service at Malta Gardens in at least the last six months, and probably much longer, was in early November, due to maintenance on a device that triggers replenishment of water levels in our wells,” Simonici said. “Water service was interrupted for four hours. We have no individual maintenance requests for water service issues from mobile home owners, although there is the possibility that their units required maintenance performed by the homeowners themselves, consistent with their role in maintaining their homes.”

He also said the streetlights are maintained regularly and the roads, the basketball court and driveways have been

left to rot and become a haven for wild animals.

“If I could move my home, I would and get out of here,” she said. However, because she has put additions on to her home, moving it is not an option.

“I’m stuck,” she said.

She also said that when there is a problem at the park, the owner won’t take phone calls. He will only respond to emails.

Woodcock said he is responsive and that the park is nice.

“I think what you got there is a disgruntled tenant,” Woodcock said.

“They are unfair and trying to cause trouble.”

However, he agreed he feels development pressures, getting calls all the time from people who want to build on his land. But he said he has no intention to sell.

“Then again, I’m 63,” he said. “I have rental properties in Saratoga as well and I don’t have the complaints I do have in the park.”

Frustration with park living is heightened by infrastructure issues. Sewer and water hookups can freeze or disconnect, causing disputes about who is responsible, the homeowner or the landowners.

In the town of Malta, a Facebook page for residents of Malta Gardens, the county’s largest park with 406 manufactured homes, churns with a familiar refrain: “Who has water?” This frequent complaint at the park dates back years, including a stretch in 2018 when there was a water main break and residents went without water for four days.

“Affordable housing is disappearing. It’s just going away. How are we are going to live? I didn’t go to Harvard. I don’t have a million dollars in the bank.”

Chris Wheeler, mobile home owner

Please see PARKS 6

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Shuster Series Postponed BALLSTON SPA - The Shuster Series of Play Readings, scheduled to begin January 22, has been postponed until February. Please join us for a round table reading of Our Country’s Good on Saturday, February 19 at 10:15am. The reading will be held at the Ballston Spa Public Library, 21 Milton St, Ballston Spa, NY. See you there!

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Widow-Widowers Group CAPITAL DISTRICT Did you know.... There is an active Widow-Widowers group that meets each Friday for lunch. We are actively looking to recruit more widowers to balance out our group. If you are a widower, please consider joining us. We are a fun group. Call Pat: 518-557-2284.

Tiffany Bunzey of Corinth Named to UA Deans List CORINTH - Tiffany Bunzey was named to The University of Alabama Deans List for Fall Semester 2021.

A total of 11,979 students enrolled during the fall 2021 term at The University of Alabama made the dean’s list with academic records of 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale), or the president’s list with academic records of 4.0 (all A’s).

JANUARY 27, 2022 | PAGE 3

LOCAL FIRST | SARATOGA NORTH

AROUND YOUR COMMUNITY Ballston Spa Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Explores Village’s Built Environment BALLSTON SPA - The Village of Ballston Spa’s Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee will meet twice during the month of February to review and discuss the built environment of the village.

The meetings will be held on the first and third Thursdays of the month, February 3 and February 17, at 7 pm at the Saratoga County Office Building at 50 West High Street in Ballston Spa. The discussions will touch on several topics, such as reviewing the range of styles and time periods of existing buildings and how they relate to living, visiting and investing in the village, what aspects contribute to the perception of Ballston Spa and how the village character can be maintained while also allowing for new structures. Zoning enforcement, downtown building heights and design standards, teardowns and compatibility of new structures with existing ones will be examined.

The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee has been formed to work in conjunction with a professional planning consultant to identify and study several topics over the course of the next year in order to create a final plan for approval by the Village board of trustees. All meetings are open to the public, who are encouraged to attend and provide input, either by in-person attendance or via Zoom.

Zoom link will be available prior to each meeting at

https://www.villageofballstonspa.org/comprehensive-plan-steering-committee. For more information, contact steering committee chairperson Karen Martell at karenmartell27@gmail. com or the Village Office at 518 885-5711, villageclerk@villageofballstonspa.org.

Black History Month with New Exhibit

BALLSTON SPA, NY – The Saratoga County History Center, in partnership with the Saratoga County History Roundtable, is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit at Brookside Museum to celebrate Black History Month: “Black Experiences in Saratoga County, 1750-1950.”

The expansive exhibit explores the diverse lives of African Americans in Saratoga County from the colonial period through the mid-twentieth century. It is a panorama of the struggles and hardships, but also stories of their persistence and success.

Displays will feature little-known events, as well as objects and memorabilia that bring to life the men and women who were often the heart and soul of Saratoga society.

“One of the most exciting aspects of the exhibit design is that the panels will be available for display in other venues in the county,” notes Project leader Jim Richmond.

County Historian Roberts added, “This collaborative effort pulls together resources from several local repositories that shed light on Black experiences throughout our past.

Using History a chronological approach, the exhibit illustrates change

Students Named to Clarkson University Dean’s List CORINTH - Students have been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2021 semester at Clarkson University Tyler D Hanson of Corinth, NY, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2021 semester at Clarkson University.

Trent James Kilinski of Corinth, NY, a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering, was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2021 semester at Clarkson University.

Daniel W Tracy of Corinth, NY, a sophomore majoring in biology, was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2021 semester at Clarkson University.

Dean’s List students must achieve a minimum 3.25 grade-point average and also carry at least 14 credit hours.

Ballston Area Senior Citizens Activities

over time in the areas of culture, employment, and community.”

The exhibit will be open at Brookside Museum (6 Charlton Street, Ballston Spa) on Saturdays and Sundays 12 - 4 PM, beginning February 6.

Hours will be expanded in the spring and summer.

It is free and open to the public. Donations are encouraged. All proceeds will go directly to museum upkeep and public programming.

Ice Fishing Tourney on Sly Pond Open To The Public Feb. 19th FORT ANN, NEW YORK -A Saturday, February 19 ice fishing tournament at the Scout’s Camp Wakpominee on Sly Pond Road in Fort Ann-- a lake that has been closed to the general public for 100 years-- is open to any interested angler.

The fund raising event will give ice fisherman a chance to fish 41 acre Sly Pond. The lake has been fished mostly by Boy Scouts attending events at the camp since 1920, so fishing pressure has been minimal Cash prizes will be awarded for the longest bass, and the longest fish that is not a bass.

The tourney starts at 6 a.m. on February 19 and ends at 2 p.m. on February 19.

A “side pot” competition will award cash prizes for the longest aggregate species measurement of Black Bass, Rock Bass, Yellow Perch, pan fish, and Pickerel caught.

Cost to compete will be $30 per person and $60 per two-person team for anybody who registers prior to January 31.

The competition cost af-

ter that goes up to $35 and $70 per team afterwards.

The prizes will be equal to 20cent of the fees collected.

The “side pot” competition will cost another $20 to register for prior to January 31 and go to $25 per person after that.

The side pot prize will be 40 percent of that registration fee. Fishermen can keep the Yellow Perch they catch.

A patch will be provided to all participants.

Food will be available at the camp dining hall.

Interested ice fisher men can read the tournament rules and sign up in advance on the Twin Rives Council website here: https://scoutingevent. com/364-52442 Funds raised will be used for projects at the camp.

Camp Wakpominee is one of two camps operated by the Twin Rivers Council of the Scouts BSA. The council provides Scouting for boys and girls in eastern New York from Columbia County to the Canadian Border.

For more information contact Rob Pattison at pattison_r@yahoo.com

The Hadley Business Association Is Planning The Maple In April Festival - April 30th HADLEY - The Maple in April Festival is a time to reconnect over the long, long winter, to wecome returning friends and family, and to share the value our communities have to offer.

The H.B.A. invites ALL community teams to join the excitement of planning such a worthwhile and exciting family festival.

Please send your news and photos to bulletinboard@crwnewspapers.com.

Please include contact information.

Please plan to attend the next Development and Progress meeting which will take place at the Hadley Town Hall, 4 Stony Creek Road at 6:30 PM on February 7th. Join us as we work together to produce another amazing Maple in April Festival filled with exceptional experiences for all the attendees! Find us at www.Hadleynybusiness.org

Applications Available for The Hawley Foundation for Children Community Grants and Camp Awards

In 2021, The Hawley Foundation awarded over $150,000 to the Saratoga County community towards Community Grants, Camp Awards, College Grants to high school seniors who are college-bound or vocational-oriented, as well as returning college students, and as discretionary funds to assist children on a case-by-case basis who are in financial need and reside in Saratoga County.

Knights of Columbus Fundraiser Fish Fry Takeout

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Hawley Foundation for Children is accepting funding requests for its Community Grants and Camp Awards. Local organizations that assist youth in our community and best realize the Foundation’s mission of promoting the health, welfare and education of children in Saratoga County are invited to apply no later than March 1, 2022, at HawleyFoundation.org.

Funding criteria includes but is not limited to: Organizations must serve disadvantaged children in Saratoga County Organizations must have a 501(c)(3) non-profit status Programs to be funded must demonstrate the ability and commitment to benefit, enhance and enrich the quality of life and well-being of children Applicants will be notified in early April and funds distributed at an Award Ceremony in May. For more information, please contact info@hawleyfoundation.org.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Knights of Columbus Council #246 will be hosting a Fundraiser Fish Fry Takeout on Friday, January 28, 2022, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Orders will need to be placed between 12:00 and 3:00 on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for pick-up times beginning at 5:00 and every 15 minutes thereafter until 7:00. Available will be Fried or Baked Haddock ($14.00) or Fried Clam Strips ($12.00) with French Fries, Cole Slaw, Tartar Sauce, and Cocktail Sauce, Macaroni & Cheese ($5.00), and New England Clam Chowder (pint $7.00/quart - $13.00). Call 518-584-8547 to call in your order or for more information.

Saratoga Area Retired Teachers Meeting

SARATOGA COUNTY - Saratoga Area Retired Teachers will meet on Tuesday, February 1, at noon at Longfellows Restaurant, 500 Union Avenue (Rte. 9P), Saratoga Springs. For membership information, call 518-587-5356.

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PAGE 4 | JANUARY 27, 2022

OPINION OPINION

Is America Heading for a Systems Collapse?

Victor Davis Hanson, Tribune Content Agency

In modern times, as in ancient Rome, several nations have suffered a “systems collapse.” The term describes the sudden inability of once-prosperous populations to continue with what had ensured the good life as they knew it.

Abruptly, the population cannot buy, or even find, once plentiful necessities. They feel their streets are unsafe. Laws go unenforced or are enforced inequitably. Every day things stop working. The government turns from reliable to capricious if not hostile.

Consider contemporary Venezuela. By 2010, the once well-off oil-exporting country was mired in a self-created mess. Food became scarce, crime ubiquitous.

Radical socialism, nationalization, corruption, jailing opponents, and the destruction of constitutional norms were the culprits.

Between 2009 and 2016, a once relatively stable Greece nearly became a Third World country. So did Great Britain in its socialist days of the 1970s.

Joe Biden’s young presidency may already be leading the United States into a similar meltdown.

Hard Left “woke” ideology has all but obliterated the idea of a border. Millions of impoverished foreigners are entering the United States illegally - and during a pandemic without either COVID-19 tests or vaccinations.

The health bureaucracies have lost credibility as official communiques on masks, herd and acquired immunity, vaccinations, and comorbidities apparently change and adjust to perceived political realities.

After decades of improving race relations, America is regressing into a pre-modern tribal society.

Crime soars. Inflation roars. Meritocracy is libeled and so we are governed more by ideology and tribe.

The soaring prices of the stuff of life - fuel, food, housing, health care, transportation are strangling the middle class.

Millions stay home, content to be paid by the state not to work. Supply shortages and empty shelves are the new norm.

Nineteenth-century-style train robberies are back. So is 1970s urban violence, replete with looting, carjackings, and random murdering of the innocent.

After the Afghanistan debacle, we have returned to the dark days following defeat in Vietnam, when U.S. deterrence abroad was likewise shattered, and global terrorism and instability were the norms abroad.

Who could have believed a year ago that America would now beg Saudi Arabia and Russia to pump more oil - as we pulled our own oil leases, and canceled pipelines and oil fields?

Our path to systems collapse is not due to an earthquake, climate change, a nuclear war, or even the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, most of our maladies are self-inflicted. They are the direct result of woke ideologies that are both cruel and antithetical to

Free Tax Help is Available and Can Help You Get Your Refund Faster

CAPITAL DISTRICT - The IRS is experiencing massive backlogs because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It may take 9-12 months for your return to be processed and to receive your refund if you physically mail your return to the IRS. However, you can generally expect to receive your refund in three to four weeks if you electronically file the return.

You can electronically file your 2021 return starting Monday, January 24, 2022.

The IRS’s “Free File” Program may be able to help. Free File partners

How an Enduring Myth About Voter Turnout Distorts Our Politics

traditional American pragmatism.

Hard-Left district attorneys in our major cities refuse to charge thousands of arrested criminals - relying instead on bankrupt social justice theories.

Law enforcement has been arbitrarily defunded and libeled. Police deterrence is lost, so looters, vandals, thieves, and murderers more freely prey on the public.

“Modern monetary theory” deludes ideologues that printing trillions of dollars can enrich the public, even as the ensuing inflation is making people poorer.

“Critical race theory” absurdly dictates that current “good” racism can correct the effects of past bad racism. A once tolerant, multiracial nation is resembling the factionalism of the former Yugoslavia.

The culprit again is a callous woke ideology that posits little value for individuals, prioritizing only the so-called collective agenda.

Woke’s trademark is “equity,” or a forced equality of result. Practically, we are becoming a comic-book version of victims and victimizers, with woke opportunists playacting as our superheroes.

Strangest in 2021 was the systematic attack on our ancient institutions, as we scapegoated our ancestors for our own incompetencies.

The woke have waged a veritable war against the 233-year-old Electoral College and the right of states to set their own balloting laws in national elections, the 180-yearold filibuster, the 150-year-old nine-person Supreme Court, and the 60-year-old, 50-state union.

The U.S. military, Department of Justice, FBI, CIA, Center for Disease Control, and National Institutes of Health until recently were revered. Their top echelons were staffed by career professionals mostly immune to the politics of the day.

Not now. These bureaus and agencies are losing public confidence and support. Citizens fear rather than respect Washington grandees who have weaponized politics ahead of public service.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, Attorney General Merrick Garland, former FBI heads like James Comey and Andrew McCabe, retired CIA director John Brennan, and Anthony Fauci head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - have all politicalized and vastly exceeded their professional purviews.

They sounded off in public fora as if they were elected legislators up for reelection.

Some lied under oath. Others demonized critics. Most sought to become media darlings.

This governmental freefall is overseen by a tragically bewildered, petulant, and incompetent president. In his confusion, an increasingly unpopular President Joe Biden seems to believe his divisive chaos is working, belittling his political opponents as racist Confederate rebels.

As we head into the 2022 midterm elections, who will stop our descent into collective poverty, division, and self-inflicted madness?

will e-file your return for free. This year, you can e-file with Free File if your adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less. Links to these free tax preparation and e-filing services are available at www.irs.gov/ freefile Free tax assistance is also available in many communities. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program provide free tax preparation and e-filing services.

Locations can be found at www.irs.gov/vita or from your local United Way. The AARP Tax Aide Program also provides free tax preparation. VITA, TCE, and Tax Aide each have different eligibility

requirements.

If you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), you also qualify for free tax help by IRStrained volunteers. You may qualify for the EITC even if you’re single and have no children. EITC eligibility can be complicated. Check if you qualify at www.irs.gov/eitcassistant In addition to e-filing, you will usually receive your refund faster if you ask for the payment to be directly deposited into your bank account.

If you have questions about e-filing, refunds or other income tax issues, the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) may be able to help. The Clinic’s

LOCAL FIRST | SARATOGA NORTH

Jonah Goldberg, Tribune Content Agency

I have long opposed making voting mandatory, an idea that pops up every few years. I still don’t like the idea. But it’s become more attractive, at least as a thought experiment.

The arguments against compelling people to vote -- as Australia and a handful of other countries do -- run from the constitutional (it’s coerced speech) to the cultural (this is America, dagnabbit) to the practical and the partisan.

Historically, the practical case is that it’s the wrong solution chasing a nonexistent problem. Proponents of mandatory voting think that low voter turnout is a sign of civic decay and democratic entropy. This view, no doubt accurate or at least plausible for some people, misses the fact that for many other Americans not voting is a sign of general satisfaction. We had record-breaking turnout in 2020. Raise your hand if think that was proof that America’s civic and democratic commitments are stronger than ever.

More importantly, if voting is virtuous, its virtue -- like all virtue -- derives from it being voluntary. Compelled virtue is an oxymoron.

Partisanship enters the equation because both parties subscribe to an enduring myth: that increased voter turnout automatically favors the Democrats. Thus, if everyone were forced to vote -- many opponents and proponents believe -- some imagined reserve army of leftwing voters would swamp the polls. This belief plays a significant role among those who want to make voting easier and those who want to make it harder.

The problem: It’s not true. Yes, of course, turning out more of your own voters is how you win elections, but if everybody voted it’s unlikely that one party would always benefit more than the other. As Daron Shaw and John R. Petrocik demonstrate in their book “The Turnout Myth,” “there is no systematic or consistent partisan bias to turnout.” The recent Virginia governor’s race saw huge turnout, and the Republicans routed the Democrats.

Partisan Democrats have all sorts of high-minded and sincere reasons for making casting ballots easier for Black voters in particular and disadvantaged communities in general. But on a practical level, the fact that they think these voters will disproportionately vote Democratic drives many of their policy preferences. Partisan Republicans discount the high-minded arguments and focus on the Democratic advantage they see in such efforts. Meanwhile, Democrats assume any concern with fraud or voter integrity is a ruse for disenfranchising voters.

Republicans tend also to suffer from a weird cognitive dissonance. They fear that if everyone voted, the GOP would lose; they’ve also convinced themselves that Democrats only win by “importing” voters (i.e., immigrants) and through fraud.

Each party believes -- without evidence -- that they have the people on their side and that if elections were run “right,” they’d be the majority party. For Democrats this means curtailing “big money” in elections and, lately, federalizing election rules to combat voter suppression. For Republicans, it means catering to Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories and psephological rantings.

More broadly, both parties ignore the closeness of their victories and act as if they have mandates to behave like they have super-majorities supporting them. They then devote their energies to pandering both rhetorically and in terms of policy to the slender slice of the electorate that is their base. The incentive to appeal to the vast middle is shockingly weak even though politicians, such as Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin last year or Joe Biden in 2020, owe their victories to the persuadable middle.

The incentives for pandering to the hyper-partisans are all too familiar: the pernicious effect of our primary system, self-sorting polarization, an ideologically skewed media ecosystem, and the ease of raising small donations from partisan super-fans. President Biden’s seriously tone-deaf speech on voting rights and Sen. Ted Cruz’s capitulation to Tucker Carlson’s January 6 fantasies are recent examples of this perverse dynamic.

And that’s what appeals to me about mandatory voting. If everybody voted -- even just once -- it just might dispel the myth that either party speaks for some untapped silent majority. The incentive to drive up the base turnout would evaporate. Low voter turnout -- which benefits incumbents and their special interest allies -- would not skew election results. Candidates, elected officials and big donors alike would ignore electoral majorities at their peril.

I still oppose this solution, but at least the case for mandatory voting is no longer a solution in pursuit of a problem. Even as a thought experiment, it helps illuminate the real problems we face.

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You can call the LASNNY Legal Line at (833) 628-0087 and ask for our LITC. The Clinic does not generally provide tax preparation services.

Capital Region Social Happenings January Event and Concert Series

CAPITAL DISTRICT - https://www.facebook. com/CapitalRegionSocial - CapRegSocialHappenings@gmail.com. Check out the following events that are held at 435 New Karner Road (Hanover Square Building) at “Hill” door entrance. Open to the public. Inside seating is limited. Plenty of free parking. Handicap

accessible. CDC & COVID compliant. At this time, masks required on everyone. Be prepared to show your vaccination card as well as provide your phone number for contact tracing if required. Call 518-4526883 for more information.

Friday Night – January 28 at 7 pm: The Back Porch Players will perform music that we all enjoy.

Maybe even some sing-alongs. Performance starts at 7 pm.

Sunday Night – January 30 at 7 pm: We’re kicking off our first dance of the year with a great DJ. Put on your dancing shoes and be prepare to strut your stuff on the dance floor. Music requests taken. Only $6.

Ballston Area Seniors Have Good News BALLSTON SPA - The Town is opening up half of the Community Center to the Seniors. Every Thursday we can meet at 10:00 am play cards, use the pool and craft room. Or just sit with friends, socialize and catch up everything.

Unfortunately, no pot luck luncheon or pizza will be held. Bring your own lunch, the kitchen will be open and coffee and hot water for tea will be available.

More information on weekly activities will be give out at the meetings, we will be keeping you up dated.

JANUARY 27, 2022 | PAGE 5

LOCAL FIRST | SARATOGA NORTH

HOME SOLUTIONS Cash-out vs. change term mortgage refinancing Mortgage refinancing has long been a valuable option for homeowners looking to save money. Refinancing has become an especially enticing option since the onset of the pandemic, as mortgage interest ranks have sunk to historic lows. Despite that, a recent survey from Bankrate found that 74 percent of homeowners who have had the same mortgage since before the pandemic have not refinanced. Homeowners who haven’t yet refinanced but are considering doing so can consider two types of mortgage refinancing options.

• Cash-out: According to the mortgage experts at MortgageCalculator.org, a cash-out mortgage extracts equity from a home. Homeowners in the United States have more than $6 trillion in untapped home equity, and that can be used to pay for various expenses, including home improvements, tuition and medical costs. The

financial experts at Nerd Wallet note that a cash-out refinance works by replacing an existing mortgage with a new home loan for more money than homeowners owe on their homes. The difference is then given to the homeowners in cash, which they can use for the aforementioned expenses or other costs, including paying down high-interest debts. Lower interest rates typically entice homeowners to refinance, but if homeowners are solely looking for lower rates, then a cash-out refinance is probably not the best option.

• Change term: Also known as a rate-and-term refinance, a change term is a refinance characterized by shifting to a lower interest rate. Homeowners also may refinance utilizing a change term to shift from an adjustable rate mortgage to a fixed-rate loan. Change term refinancing also is popular for homeowners who want to switch from the standard 30-year fixed rate to a 15-year fixed rate. This can shorten the term of the loan, saving homeowners a lot of money in interest over

the 15-year period. However, homeowners should note that switching from a 30-year to a 15-year loan will lead to higher monthly payments. This switch might be most suitable to individuals earning significantly higher salaries than they were at the start of their initial mortgages and/or homeowners whose cost of living has recently decreased due to certain changes, such as children graduating from college. Homeowners also may consider change term mortgages to lower their monthly payments. In such instances, they simply swap out an existing 30-year mortgage for a new 30-year mortgage with a lower interest rate. That can save money up front, but homeowners should calculate the long-term interest costs of switching to a new 30-year mortgage. The lower monthly payments might be tempting, but homeowners may ultimately pay more in interest over the life of both loans by switching to a new 30-year mortgage.

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match the look of the original windows, including winThe decision to replace windows often comes down to aesthetics and necessity. Drafty windows can reduce dow material and the divided light pattern (the number SERVICES energy efficiency in a home, requiring HVAC systems to of panes in each window) with the original windows.

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“Preserve the Porch!” Campaign a Rousing Success BALLSTON SPA - The trustees of the Saratoga County History Center wish to thank the community for their generosity and commitment to preserving public history.

The 2021 annual fundraising campaign – “Preserve the Porch!” – was a rousing success.

In November and December of 2021, the campaign yielded an impressive $20,720.00.

Moreover, an anonymous donor graciously agreed to match funds up to $10,000.00, making the total amount raised $30,720.00.

The funds will go directly to replacing storm windows and repairing Brookside Museum’s iconic front porch. Built in 1792, just four years after the ratification of the United States Constitution, and remodeled in the 1830s in the popular “Greek Revival” style, the grand piazza is sadly in need of reconstruction.

Specifically, all the front steps and floor boards, which are ruined by rot and mold, need to be replaced, as well as the deck frame supporting the floor. In addition, the entire portico needs to be rebuilt for proper drainage, and the earth beneath should be covered with plastic and pea stone to reduce future moisture. The

crisis concerns both safety and appearance.

“The response from the county and beyond has been astounding!” remarks new History Center President, Field Horne.

“We went hat-in-hand to our friends and neighbors, asking them to help us save this awe-inspiring façade and important piece of local history, and they rallied and responded well-beyond our expectations.”

“Support for our ‘Preserve the Porch!’ campaign is a major win for the Saratoga County History Center,” said Sean Kelleher, Vice President of Membership and Community Engagement. “The ability to fund the restoration of the iconic porch

and storm windows will provide stabilization for the Brookside Museum in the future, and will allow visitors to safely access the museum, grounds and library for generations to come. It would not have been possible without support from the community. We thank our community for its continued efforts to help preserve this treasure, which is an important part of Saratoga County’s history.”

“We are humbled by the generosity,” adds Jon Hallgren, who will oversee the restoration. “We will make sure that Brookside stands bold and beautiful for another 200 years.”

The fundraising drive surpassed our total cost estimate, so Brookside’s

famous face will be revived with high-quality material and expert attention.

The Saratoga County History Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing the diverse histories of Saratoga County.

In addition to Brookside Museum, the History Center offers a variety of innovative, exciting, and educational programming online. Please visit the website (www.brooksidemuseum.org) and social media accounts (@SaratogaCoHistory) for news and announcements.

Ballston Spa United Methodist Church Food Pantry

BALLSTON SPA - The Ballston Spa United Meth-

odist Church Food Pantry is open each Wednesday from 9:30 to noon and serves all of Saratoga County. We are located at 101 Milton Avenue in Ballston Spa.

Saratoga – Wilton Elks Lodge #161 Meatloak Dinner For Curbside Pick-Up WILTON - Wednesday February 2, 2022 4:30-6:00 pmCall Monday or Tuesday between 10am-noon to place an order 518-584-2585; Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable, Salad, Roll, Gravy; Dinner for 2 /$30.00 (Cash only)

PAGE 6 | JANUARY 27, 2022

MILES CONTINUED FROM 1

tackled retreating marchers on Broadway. On that day, five were arrested.

Police later said they listened to a 911 call from a man who was in his car on

Broadway during the protest. He called to ask the police to move the protesters so he could get home to his heart medication. That led to an investigation and warrants being issued on Aug. 31, 2021 for those who allegedly blocked the car.

The arrest of eight additional protesters began

PARKS CONTINUED FROM 2

HOROSCOPE Week Of January 30, 2022 ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 It is time to slow down a little, Aries. Even you cannot keep up a hectic pace for very long. Invest time in relaxing pursuits like yoga or reading to unwind your brain.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you may feel it necessary to prove your point at all costs. Stubbornness will get you nowhere right now.

Listen to what others have to say.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 There are two sides to every story, Gemini. It is best not to attach yourself to one version of the tale just yet. Hear everyone out and then come to an informed conclusion.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 There is no time like the present to turn over a new leaf, Cancer. Think about the areas of your life that can use some improvement and focus on the steps to get there this week.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Someone from the past comes back into your life and you will not know how to react, Leo. First assess what this person wants and how you left off years ago.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, it might be time to accept the help or advice that someone is offering to you. You don’t always have to forge new paths to prove your worth.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, if you are thinking about making a major lifestyle change in the near future, start fleshing out the plans this week. Gather feedback from the ones you love.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, past mistakes provide opportunities to

learn. Continue to forge a new path. Recognize that others have made mistakes and can provide support.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 A big idea is blooming, but you need to get a handle on how you can finance this endeavor, Sagittarius. It may be worth seeking investors.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 It is time to mend fences that were broken a few years ago, Capricorn. Holding on to past issues will not prove fruitful.

Sit down and work through your issues.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 You certainly catch more flies with honey than vinegar, Aquarius. Focus on being warm and welcoming in conversation and your points will be well-received.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Something regarding your health may be on your mind, Pisces. Schedule an annual physical and discuss your concerns.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS JANUARY 31 Justin Timberlake, Singer (41) FEBRUARY 1 Harry Styles, Singer (28) FEBRUARY 2 Duane Chapman, Reality Star 69) FEBRUARY 3 Isla, Fisher, Actress (46) FEBRUARY 4 Hunter Biden, Lawyer (52) FEBRUARY 5 Darren Criss, Actor (35) FEBRUARY 6 Rick Astley, Singer (56)

Sept. 7. Among them was Lexis Figuereo, the leader of Saratoga Black Lives Matter, who is also facing charges of disrupting a City Council meeting.

Police also arrested the mother of Figuereo's children after she came to the station to call out Figuereo's arrest.

Many were held in custody for hours, one overnight, and shackled at their arraignment on violations like disorderly conduct.

Miles, a co-founder of the nonprofit group All of Us, surrendered to police Sept. 9.

"Starting with the

repaved.

Still, all of the residents who were interviewed said they would relocate their homes if they could. But that’s impossible, despite the “mobile” moniker.

“Mobile homes aren’t mobile,” Allen said. “You can’t just hitch a truck to it and move it out. Also, most parks won’t accept you if your home is older. You can’t even go into a park.”

Homes and Community Renewal requires manufactured home park owners to provide residents with a $15,000 stipend if residents are forced to move when the land is transferred to a new owner.

In addition, it requires that residents have the right of first refusal for a sale of the park. But if a new owner agrees to not evict tenants for five years, then the land transfer to the new owner can go through even if the residents can gather the funds to buy it.

That was the case with Wheeler’s park, Saratoga Lakeview Mobile Home Park.

Even though residents came up with the $650,000 to match the buyer’s deal, they lost out because the new owner promised to not evict anyone for five years.

Residents at Kayadeross Acres purchased their park outright. The Milton park, formerly known as Creek and Pines Mobile Home Community, became a resident-owned co-op with help from the state and ROC USA, a New Hampshire nonprofit devoted to preserving affordable housing. Residents are members, for a onetime fee of $200. Their monthly lot rent goes into a pool to maintain the park. Residents say that former issues, like anemic water pressure and poor roads, have been resolved.

Kayadeross Acres remains the only resident-owned park in Saratoga County.

More protections Advocates for homeowners like organizer Yvonne Maldonado of Manufactured Housing Action, said more protections are needed.

FLAG CONTINUED FROM 2

needed.

“We’re proud to team up with FLAG of Saratoga and the Saratoga Hospital Foundation to show our gratitude to our frontline heroes,” said Todd Shimkus, president, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

“Our board, led by Tara Pleat, voted unanimously to help with seed funding to kickstart FLAG’s efforts.

LOCAL FIRST | SARATOGA NORTH

arrest of 13 people who were exercising their First Amendment rights, the last four months have been difficult," the statement from Miles read. "Repeated trips back and forth to court, the ever present threat of losing one's freedom, time taken away from work and family, and

the financial resources spent to defend our rights to freedom."

Since the fall arrests, the state attorney general's Civil Rights Bureau has opened an investigation into Saratoga Springs police's treatment of protesters.

Her organization is pressing to change state laws with the help of state Sen. James Skoufis, D-Newburgh, and state Assemblywoman Didi Barrett, D-Hudson. New York law should allow the residents the right of first refusal to purchase their park’s land, regardless of how long a prospective buyer promises to maintain it as the land as a park, she said.

“It’s a loophole that needs to be closed.”

The state also prohibits manufactured home park owners from raising site rent more than 3 percent annually. By law, however, the landowner can legally raise it as high as 6 percent if he or she demonstrates hardship in a local court.

Maldonado said she wants park owners to show proof of hardship to residents as well, not just the courts.

“If they increase it over 3 percent, the community should have the right to the legal documents,” Maldonado said. “Right now, they are not giving it, so nobody knows if the rent increase is legal or not. We have a lot of seniors, veterans, low-income families, working families in these parks who think it’s a perfect place to live and then they find out they are wrong. Park owners are making it unaffordable by raising the rent every year.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul is paying attention, too. In her 2022 budget address, the Democrat proposed $5 million for the Manufactured Home Advantage Program to fund loans and grants for the acquisition, demolition or replacement or repair of mobile or manufactured homes and mobile/manufactured home parks.

Back at Saratoga Lake-view Mobile Home Park, Wheeler, who has suffered four heart attacks, has decided to go back to work with hopes of starting anew. He returned to the Quaker Springs Fire Department and took a second job at Walmart.

“It was against doctor’s orders to go back to work,” Wheeler said. “I don’t know how long I can do it. The stress level is so high. But I don’t know what else to do. I don’t know where I’m going to go.”

We look forward to working alongside the community to give back to our healthcare workers and first responders who continue to work tirelessly to keep us safe and healthy throughout this pandemic.”

“These heartwarming expressions of support couldn’t come at a better time. Our team has been fighting the pandemic for nearly two years, and they are exhausted,” said Toni Bishop-McWain, vice president and chief nursing officer at Saratoga Hospital. “Lately, some are discour-

aged because much of the recent sickness and death could have been prevented. Yet, as I see firsthand every day, they remain committed to taking care of each patient with skill and compassion. FLAG’s reminder that our frontline workers are valued and not alone will mean the world to them.”

To learn more, visit their Facebook Group at FLAG Saratoga or on Instagram at @Flagsaratoga.

To donate visit: www.Saratoga.org.

HOUSE OF THE WEEK 25 Miller Avenue, Brunswick

Clockwise from Top: A view of the living room; one of four bedrooms; the bathroom.

PHOTOS BY ROB KRISTEL

The home at 25 Miller Ave., Brunswick, has 1,624 square feet of living space.

T

he first owners of this week’s house chose it from a Sears catalogue.

The home is one of the company’s famous mail-order houses and it was called the Crescent, promoted as a design for “folks who like a touch of individuality.”

The Crescent was available in a couple floor plans, but the defining flair is a “neat” front porch supported by two sets of twin columns. Assembled in 1931, the house has 1,624 square feet of living space, four bedrooms (two on the first floor, two on the second floor) and LEIGH one bathroom. There’s an HORNBECK in-ground pool, a finished HOUSE OF room in the basement, a THE WEEK one-car garage and a fenced yard. Averill Park schools. Taxes: $4,097.

List price: $259,999. Contact listing agent Tamara DeMartino with Venture Realty Partners at 518-649-5910.

n If

you have seen or own a particularly interesting home for sale to feature, send the address to lhornbeck@timesunion.com

n To

see more House of the week photos, go to Leigh Hornbeck’s Places & Spaces blog at http://blog.timesunion.com/realestate

The ktchen; in-ground pool; and office space.

JANUARY 27, 2022 | PAGE 7

LOCAL FIRST | SARATOGA NORTH

FULL TIME FULL TIME PHYSICAL THERAPIST For out patient setting. Full benefits including medical and dental.

Starting salary is $75000 per year. Salary could increase according to years of experience. New grads are welcome to apply.

Fax your resume to: (845) 428-7023 or email it to: Info@americanmedicalstaff.com

PART TIME SNOW REMOVAL BURNT HILLS- P/T to shovel/clear walks this winter at small senior apt complex. Must be reliable with flexible schedule to respond to storms. Must have reliable transporation. May work into more year round grounds work for qualified candidate. FMI 518-5844543 Ext 3

GENERAL NOTICES 6 hr. Live Defensive Driving Saturday February 12th 9am3pm. Best WesternHotel/Clifton Park. $35 Call: (518) 784-5009

FOR JUNK CARS $100-$1000. FREE PICKUP (518) 914-8633 CASH FOR METAL/CARS We buy farm equip., metal, cars.

We have the equip. to take care of big jobs. Highest prices paid. Demolition. Towing & transport avail.

Part of the proceeds go to the veterans. (518) 339-3369

after they fell into a dispute with the leaders of the longstanding Saratoga Economic Development Corporation. The county stripped SEDC of funding and financially backed the Partnership, where county elected officials and business leaders sit on the board. Until 2020, the Partnership was funded between $750,000 and $775,000 a year.

SEDC survived and has since seen some of its funding restored.

Meanwhile, the Partnership is by law entitled to half of the county's bed tax. In 2021, when the bed tax was greatly reduced due to the pandemic, the Partnership was given $450,000.

In the county's proposed 2022 budget, the Partnership is set to receive $350,000.

SUNY Canton Announces Fall 2021 Dean’s List CANTON, NY - SUNY Canton recognizes more than 400 students for making the Dean’s List during the fall 2021 semester.

“I join the college’s faculty, staff and administration in offering heartfelt congratulations to the students who’ve made the Dean’s List,” said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. “You’ve shown the determination and perseverance necessary to accomplish great things here at SUNY Canton.”

Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who earned a GPA between 3.25 and 3.74.

Students honored include: Abigale Fink, a SUNY Canton Early Childhood Care and Management major from Corinth, NY (12822).

Hailey N. Wood, a SUNY Canton Individual Studies major from Corinth, NY (12822).

Fish Creek Rod and Gun Club Breakfast SCHUYLERVILLE The February Breakfast will be on February 13th from 8:00-11:00 at 123 NY-32, Schuylerville, NY 12871. Adults $10 and Children $5.

C.L. HOME IMPROVEMENTS Taking care of all your window and remodeling needs. Neat & dependable. Fully ins. Free est.

Rich (518) 528-7173 DIVORCE $389.00 - Uncontested Make Divorce Easy – only 1 Signature, Inc. poor person app. Info: (518) 274-0380

EXCAVATION, TRUCKING, STONE & TOPSOIL Water diversion, driveways, brush hog, land clearing, oil tank removals, septics, grading, digging, lawns, pool fill-ins, site prep. Part of the proceeds go to the veterans.

(518) 339-3369 F.E. PALMA CONSTRUCTION Building, Remodeling, Renovations. Since 1985. Free est. Ins. o518-627-4344 c518-257-2880 Firewood/ Cooking Wood Exit 15N.com Lou "The Wood Guy" Rt. 50, Wilton. 24/7 FRIDHOLM PAINTING Interior painting - 1 or multi-room projects. Popcorn & Cathedral ceilings. 2-story foyers & wallpaper removal. Make your appt. for your free est. for your 2021 ext. projects. Call us @ (518) 330-9507 or visit us at www.FridholmPainting.com.

We Love What We Do! HOUSE CLEANING Call today for an estimate on a one-time deep cleaning or regularly scheduled cleanings. Excellent references. Linda (518) 222-9734

February Drama Camp

CONTINUED FROM 1

CORINTH - The following students were named to the Castleton University President’s List for the fall semester of the 2021-22 academic year. To qualify for this highest academic honor, students must maintain full-time status and a semester grade point average of 4.0.

Samuel Lucia of Corinth Cody York of Corinth

CLEANOUTS-JUNK REMOVAL Cellars - Attics - Yards Basements - Garages Real Estate Cleanouts - etc.

No charge for TV’s w/ paid job.

Always recycle. No job too small or large! Please call Dennis (518) 466-3116

$$CA$H$$

CONTRACT

Students Named to Castleton University’s Fall 2021 President’s List

CHEAPER THAN DUMPSTERS Old appliances and furniture REMOVED FROM YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. Small or Large jobs. CLEANOUTS. Call Bill the Junkman at (518) 256-6124.

Credit cards accepted.

MALTA - February Break Drama Camp for ages 7-13 will run Tuesday, February 22 through Friday, February 25 from 10:00am until 3:00pm. The camp will be taught by Malta’s Artistic Director Elyse Young and will include acting skills, vocal techniques, theater games, crafts, rehearsals and performance of a short play. Camp and performance will take place at the Malta Community Center, One Bayberry Drive, Malta. Students must wear a mask when not performing.

For more information, go online to www.maltaparksrec.com or contact Town of Malta Parks and Recreation Department at (518) 899-4411.

Cancellation: Chapter 60, Korean War Veterans’ Assoc., February Meeting

CAPITAL DISTRICT - Due to the continuing pandemic, the February 2nd meeting of Ch. 60 Korean War

"I CHOOSE LIFE" Micah Housecleaning, LLC (518) 681-2575 $25/hour Malta, Queensbury, Corinth JOBS TOO SMALL? Can’t get the right price? Let’s freshen up! We do snow removal, siding, painting, kitchen, baths, basements & roofing!

Available for after hours emergencies. Bob (518) 275-7731 JUNK REMOVAL & DEMO Oil tanks, hot tubs, pools, sheds, barns, houses, fence & retaining wall removal, yard cleanup. Res./comm. clean out & organize. Fully equipped to handle any job. (518) 339-8710.

Part of the proceeds go to the veterans.

ODD JOBS Cleaning and housework.

Low cost. High quality.

Call Jesse (518) 506-5479 or jessesample08@yahoo.com PJ’S CONSTRUCTION Windows, doors, remodeling, roof repair, small jobs. Quality work for quality price. Ins. (518) 527-3067

TREE, SHRUB, STUMP SRVC Bucket, crane, chipper, stump removal. Small jobs to mega.

Trucking avail. We sell wood.

Part of the proceeds go to the veterans. (518) 339-3369 UNSEASONED FIREWOOD 7 (+/-) cord load, cut, split & delivered. $1260. Call for area discount.

Smaller loads avail. 518-692-2109

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS Council Meadows Senior Apts, Burnt Hills - fully accessible 1 bdrm. Rent ranges $553 to $871+ utilities average $78.

There are income / background check requirements. Trash / water / sewer / snow removal included. No smoking by lease or on campus grounds. Pet? (518) 584-4543. TDD Relay Service 1-800-421-1220 Equal Housing Opportunity / Handicap Accessible.

Adult Community. Minimum 55 years old. Mohican Hill Apts, Ballston Spa. Spacious 1 BR. Washer, dryer hkups. Low heat costs. Fully sanitized. $795. No pets. (518) 885-4232

Veterans Assoc., will be cancelled. Hopefully, conditions will have improved before the March 2nd. meeting. New members are always welcome. Veterans who served anywhere during the Korean War, in Korea at any time, spouses, widows, friends and relatives are all invited to join. Annual dues for veterans are $10 and $5 for all others. For any further information, please contact Comm.

Paul O’Keefe at 518-603-4186.

New York State Commission for the Blind

CAPITAL DISTRICT - The New York State Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) provides free vocational rehabilitation and other services to legally blind New York State residents, including children, adults, and older adults. NYSCB assists participants in achieving economic self-sufficiency and full integration into society. Call toll-free (866) 871-3000 or visit our website: visionloss.ny.gov

EMPLOYMENT URBAN WIND AND WEATHER MODELING DATA SCIENTIST TruWeather Solutions, Inc. seeks Urban Wind and Weather Modeling Data Scientist in Albany, NY to develop scientfc cpbilities for new weather forecstng prdcts for Unmanned Aircraft System ops.

Requirements: PhD (or for. equiv) in Atmospheric Sci, Environ Sci, Meteorology, or rel field; and MS (or for. equiv) in Fluid Dynamics, Mech Eng, or a rel field; plus 2 yrs exp performing: running simulations using WRF model for UASops; run CFD models for winds modeling; & use statistical scores for model evaluation. Req 16% domestic & intl travel. 50% remote work option; must reside w/in normal commuting distance.

Send Resume To kayla.fenimore@truweathersolutions.com.

EARN EXTRA CASH! BECOME A TIMES UNION CARRIER

★ $500 STAY-ON BONUS! ★ $250 PAID AFTER 30 DAYS AND AFTER 60 DAYS

CONTACT US TODAY! TIMESUNION.COM/CARRIERS OR (518) 454-5689

Looking to Hire?

We Can Help!

DIRECT MAILED TO 180,000 WEEKLY To place an ad in our paper contact:

We Need 12 Mechanically Inclined Applicants WE WILL PAY YOU TO LEARN A TRADE! If you work in the field of automotive, small engine repair, appliances, carpentry or electrical services and have a great work ethic come talk to us!

We will train you on heating, cooling, stand by generators, plumbing and electrical service and installation.

Steady work, paid training, health insurance, 401K, profit sharing, vacation and paid holidays

Earn top pay in the trades.

Experienced?

Ask about our $10,000 sign on bonus.

Apply yourself or tell a friend to apply on line at suburbanservicesgroup.com

Jennifer Morrell • 518-526-6330 jmorrell@timesunion.com Heidi Gaschel • 518-965-1714 Heidi.gaschel@theadvertiser.us

518-399-6808

suburbanservicesgroup.com

PAGE 8 | JANUARY 27, 2022

Saratoga County 4-H Robotics Program Brings Home the Championship BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. - Saratoga County 4-H Robovines FTC 6955 showcased their Robotics knowledge and skills at the FTC Qualifier held last weekend at Corning-Painted Post High School. For their efforts, the team made up of youth from across Saratoga County won the Championship, while setting the mark with the top score in NYS this year. The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is broken down in so many ways and the team won the overall game. They were also acknowledged with the top award or the “Inspire Award”’. They received the 2nd place Motivate, 3rd place Control, and 2nd place Innovate. With this win it qualifies the Robovines for the FTC Regionals at Mohawk Community College on March 6th.

The Inspire Award is a judged award given to the team that best embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FIRST Tech Challenge program. The team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FIRST team. This team is a top contender for many other judged awards and is a gracious competitor. The Inspire Award winner is an inspiration to other Teams, acting with Gracious Professionalism® both on and off the Playing Field. This team shares

Annual Sweetheart Dinner Dance with “Gravity” SARATOGA/WILTON The Saratoga/Wilton Elks Ladies Auxiliary is holding their annual Sweetheart Dance on Saturday, February 12th; at the Elks Lodge, 1 Elk Lane in Saratoga Springs. The popular Band GRAVITY will be our entertainment for the night. The evening begins with cocktails/appetizers from 6-7 pm, dinner 7 pm, and entertainment from 9-midnight. The raffles will again benefit the local CODE BLUE Shelter initiative. The Ladies will be raffling off wonderful baskets created with donations from the community and our generous Auxiliary members; including the

popular Lottery Basket.

This year’s entree choices are Prime Rib, Stuffed Chicken, and Eggplant Parmesan with Bucatini Pasta, served with roasted potatoes, tossed salad, roll, and glazed carrots. A Cupcake Tower with a variety of flavors will be offered for dessert.

You and your special Valentine will have a great evening with dinner and “GRAVITY” to entertain with lots of dancing from 9-12 for the reasonable price of $35.00 per person.

Reservations are on a first come first serve basis with seating limited. RSVP to Barb Ash (518) 584-0694, cell (518) 879-8713 or bash2@nycap.rr.com with your entrée choice, number of guests and method of payment. Checks made

their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge with other team, sponsors, their community, and the judges. Working as a unit, this team will have shown success in performing the task of designing and building a Robot.

The final part of the day involved two teams making up an alliance to compete together against a second alliance. The grouping paired the Robovines with Mechanical Meltdown, a team of youths from Central NY. The alliance won both the semifinals and finals to win the overall Robot Game. The alliance currently has five out of the top ten scores in New York State.

“What an amazing day for an amazing group of kids. Its was very exciting to see all of their hard work pay off at this competition. I look forward to where the youth will take this moving forward. We thank Saratoga County 4-H for this opportunity” –Lisa Russell Robovines FTC 6955 Coach 4-H Youth Development actively involves youth in opportunities that help them learn to lead, build their communities, connect with Cornell University, and connect with each other.

For more information about our Robotics Program and 4-H Youth Development of Saratoga County, contact: Saratoga County 4-H Office, 518-885-8995, or visit www.ccesaratoga.org. out to the Ladies Auxiliary or cash are preferred. Proof of COVID vaccination is required.

This evening will be delightful so please make your reservation now to Insure a “special evening” on February 12th.

For

Display Advertising Contact:

Heidi Gaschel Account Executive

(C) 518-965-1714

Heidi.gaschel@theadvertiser.us

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The Village of Corinth will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 6:00 PM via videoconference for the purpose of hearing public comments on the Village of Corinth’s community development needs, and to discuss the possible submission of one or more Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications for the 2022 program year.

Due to public health and safety concerns and in accordance with Assembly Bill A.8591, signed by the Governor, the public will not be permitted to attend at the remote locations where Board members or Department Heads or staff will be situated or in any other location. The public will be able to fully observe the videoconference meeting and will be able to comment during the public hearing. The link to the videoconferencing site will be available on the Village’s website at www. villageofcorinthny.com prior to the public hearing.

The CDBG program is administered by the New York State Office of Community Renewal (OCR), and will make funding available to eligible local governments for the 2022 program year for housing, economic development, public facilities, public infrastructure, and planning activities, with the principal purpose of benefitting low/ moderate income persons. The hearing will provide further information about the CDBG program and will allow for citizen participation in the development of any proposed grant applications and/or to provide technical assistance to develop alternate proposals. Comments

on the CDBG program or proposed project(s) will be received at this time. The hearing is being conducted pursuant to Section 570.486, Subpart I of the CFR and in compliance with the requirements of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended.

Assistance under the Community Development Block Grant Program must meet one of three national objectives: benefit to low and moderate-income persons, elimination of slums and blight or urgent needs affecting the health and safety of the community. No less than seventy percent (70%) of grant funds must be used for activities benefiting low and moderate-income persons and the benefit area must contain at least fifty-one percent (51%) low- and moderate-income residents.

All interested residents including minority, women, disabled and disadvantaged persons are strongly encouraged to attend this public hearing. If special accommodations are needed for persons with disabilities, those with hearing impairments, or those in need of translation from English, those individuals should contact the Village Clerk, Nicole M. Colson, 244 Main Street, Corinth, NY 12822 or 518-654-2691, at least one week in advance of the hearing date to allow for necessary arrangements.

Written comments may also be submitted to the Village Clerk, Nicole M. Colson at the Village Hall, 244 Main Street, Corinth, NY 12822 or by email at clerk@villageofcorinthny.com until January 31, 2022.

Village Clerk - Village of Corinth 244 Main Street, Corinth, NY 12822 Saratoga County, 518-654-2691

RS

Village Of Corinth Saratoga County, New York Public Notice

LOCAL FIRST | SARATOGA NORTH

NOMINATE THE BEST OF THE CAPITAL REGION 0 0 0 1 $ N I W D L YOU COU ★ NOMINATIONS END FEB 4 ★

Formerly Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council

You are the most important partner in your child’s education! We’re here to help you get your child ready for kindergarten while You aresupport the most providing for theimportant whole family.

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We provide free early learning partner inforyour child’s education! programs including preschool classes to income-eligible families with children ages 3-5.

We’reLEARN hereMORE to help you get your & APPLY TODAY! | lifeworksaction.org child 518-288-3206 ready for kindergarten while providing support for the whole family.

Some programs have income guidelines. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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You may qualify for Head Start! We provide free early learning programs including preschool classes to income-eligible You may qualify for Head Start! We provide free early learningfamilies with children ages 3-5. programs including preschool classes to income-eligible families with children ages 3-5.

LEARN MORE & APPLY TODAY!

NOMINATE TODAY! timesunion.com/bestof2022

LEARN MORE & APPLY TODAY! 518-288-3206 | lifeworksaction.org 518-288-3206 | lifeworksaction.org Some programs have income guidelines. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Some programs have income guidelines. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.