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Volume 6 • Issue 46 SaratogaPublishing.com

URGENT

Housing:

Care Center Breaks Ground in Malta

On the Brink

by Michelle Read DeGarmo Saratoga TODAY

by Yael Goldman Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA COUNTY – Saratoga County is at a crossroads – as the fastest growing county in New York State, we are poised for continued growth despite a national economic downturn. At the same time, we are in danger of “brain

MALTA – Saratoga Hospital and Albany Medical Center broke ground Wednesday, November 16, on a $17.5 million 24-hour urgent care center at 560 Route 67 in Malta.

The two-story, 60,000 square-foot structure will house a high-end urgent care center staffed Rendering provided

See Malta page 11

Wilton Denies Food Pantry Funding

by Daniel Schechtman Saratoga TODAY

Photo by Daniel Schechtman

WFP President Jared Dinsmore scans the pantry shelves.

WILTON – After reviewing the preliminary budget proposed by Wilton Town Supervisor Arthur Johnson, the town board voted 3-2 to eliminate $5,000 in funding for the newly formed Wilton Food Pantry (WFP), prompting WFP Board Member Dennis Towers to speak out during the Thursday, November 10 town board meeting.

“Last month, food was provided to nearly 120 souls,” said Towers.

“We have provided 3,123 meals [from] July 27 to October 31.”

The town, noted Towers, has helped to financially support a local food pantry in the past. After obtaining their 501(c)3 status as a nonprofit organization, Towers said the town had indicated they would once again support the food pantry’s efforts.

“The funds were put in the budget to support the effort,” said Towers, “but they were eliminated by three members of the board.”

Supervisor Arthur Johnson and

See Workforce page 14

Inside TODAY Obits

pg 5

Race Course Impact pg 6 City Council pg 7 CREDC pg 11 Helping Hands pg 13 Pulse

pgs 22-25

See Community page 10

10,000 copies distributed weekly • Call To Advertise • (518) 581-2480

SARATOGA

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Friday, November 18, 2011

TODAY

Thanksgiving Saratoga Children’s Theatre November 24, Learns some “Big Top Tricks!”

Photos Provided 2011

SARATOGA SPRINGS - On Saturday, November 12, the members of Saratoga Children’s Theatre (SCT) participated in a workshop that was conducted by Sean Fagan and his group, Circus Theatricks.

The future actors and actresses learned many exciting skills, including the techniques for physical feats such as juggling, stilt-walking and hula hooping, but the workshop also taught lessons in teamwork, trust and cooperation that are essential to any group’s success.

Saratoga Children’s Theatre is currently conducting an online survey to help determine their program offerings for 2012.

Your vote counts!

To register your vote, or learn about future workshops and productions, visit www.saratogachildrenstheatre.org

SARATOGA

TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

Troy D. Cassell Jr., 28, of 3 Musket Dr., Apt. 3, Schuylerville, pleaded guilty to a charge of fifthdegree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a class-D felony. Cassell was arrested June 7 in the town of Saratoga for an incident that occurred February 2, 2010, and is scheduled to return to court for sentencing December 19.

Adam D. Sipe, 24, of 235 Middleline Rd., Ballston Spa, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated, a class-E felony. Sipe was arrested April 22 in Saratoga Springs and is scheduled to return to court for sentencing December 21.

Armistead D. Mead, 33, of 22 Park Place, Saratoga Springs, pleaded guilty to a charge of fourth-degree grand larceny, a class-E felony. Mead was arrested January 28 in Saratoga Springs and was arraigned on charges.

Casey M. Dodge, 27, of 492 2nd Ave., Troy, pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree burglary, and seconddegree criminal mischief, both classD felonies. Dodge was arrested September 25 in Halfmoon and was arraigned on charges.

John W. Lovejoy, 52, of 2806 Shaw Rd., Middlegrove, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while

intoxicated, a class-D felony. Lovejoy was arrested July 21 in Moreau and is scheduled to return to court for sentencing December 14.

Elizabeth S. Thomas, 20, of 2 Acorn Dr., Burnt Hills, was resentenced October 18 by Judge Jerry Scarano to continue on probation with enlarged conditions to include drug treatment court. Thomas was originally convicted June 23 of thirddegree burglary, a class-D felony, for which she had been sentenced to six months in Saratoga County Jail and five years of probation.

Joshua E. Welden, 28, of 41 North High St., Ballston Spa, was resentenced October 18 by Judge Jerry Scarano for a charge of seconddegree attempted burglary, a class-D felony. Welden was arrested July 24 in Wilton and was sentenced to three years in state prison and two years of post release supervision. For the charge of violating his probation, Welden was sentenced to one and one third year in state prison to run concurrent with the burglary sentence, probation terminated. Welden was originally convicted November 20,

2008, of driving while intoxicated, a class-D felony, for which he had been sentenced to time served and five years of probation including drug treatment court.

Ian S. Beemer, 24, of 5 Van Rennselaer St., Saratoga Springs, pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a sexual performance by a child, a class-E felony. Beemer was arrested May 17 in Saratoga Springs and was sentenced to six months in Saratoga County Jail and 10 years of probation.

Donni P. Adams, 28, of 1795 Master St., Johnsonville, was resentenced October 13 by Judge Jerry Scarano to one to three years impris-

BLOTTER

onment with credit for time served.

Adams was originally convicted February 20, 2008, of first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, for which he had been sentenced to five years of probation.

Courtney L. Henderson, 32, of 121 Hathaway Rd., Schuylerville, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated, a class-E felony.

Henderson was arrested August 13, 2010, in Saratoga Springs and was sentenced to time served and five years of probation.

Heather A. Charboneau, 26, of 1526 California Ave., Schenectady, pleaded guilty to a charge of third-

3

degree grand larceny, a class-D felony. Charboneau was arrested September 7 in Malta for an incident that occurred May 17, and was placed on interim probation to include drug treatment court with no sentencing date at this time.

Tyler Randle, 21, of 95 Feeder Dam Rd., South Glens Falls, pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree disseminating indecent material to minors and sexual misconduct, a class-E felony. Randle was arrested April 22 in Milton for an incident that occurred April 7 and was sentenced to six months in Saratoga County Jail and five years of probation with credit for time served.

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WEEK IN REVIEW

Absentee Ballot Count Gives Streicher Wilton Town Board Seat

WILTON - Republican Steve Streicher emerged victorious by 13 votes in his bid for a seat on the Wilton Town Board after absentee ballots were counted on Wednesday, November 16. The results remain unofficial, pending certification by the Board of Elections.

Streicher, a physical therapist, will join fellow Republican John Lant, who pulled in the most votes in a four-way race for two seats, as the newest members of the board in January.

Streicher finished second with 1,520 unofficial votes, 13 votes ahead of Jared Dinsmore, a 34-yearold technology consultant who ran

with the support of the town's Democratic Party.

The Board of Elections initially reported that a single vote separated the candidates after the polls closed on Election Day, but corrected figures showed Streicher ahead by 23 votes before the absentee ballot count. About 125 absentee ballots were counted. The results mean that the Wilton Town Board will remain all-Republican.

Saratoga Springs City Schools Ranked In Top 10 Percent SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Saratoga Springs City School District was ranked in the top 10 percent of 431 upstate school districts in a report published on October 27 by "Business First," a

Buffalo-based business journal.

Saratoga was ranked number 43 overall.

Among the 85 school districts included in the survey's 12-county Albany area, Saratoga ranked ninth.

The report, covering a 48-county area, is based on students' annual performance on Regents exams and statewide tests at the elementary and middle school level from 2007-10.

"The most precious resource we have in this community is our children," said Dr. Janice White, superintendent of schools. "Quality education and strong results validate our efforts and reinforce our commitment to focus on meeting the needs of every child, every day."

In May 2010, Saratoga Springs High School was recognized by The Washington Post as one of the top

SARATOGA

Friday, November 18, 2011

American high schools, based on how effectively schools prepare students for college. Only four high schools in the Capital Region earned this recognition.

Ric Mitchell Retires After More Than Four Decades On Air MALTA - Local radio legend, Ric Mitchell signed off for the last time on Friday, November 11, as the host of Star 101.3 FM's weekday morning show after 41 years on the air, 38 years in the Capital Region.

Mitchell began his career in Canandaigua, and came to the Capital Region in 1973 where he became a fixture in the radio industry and a household name in the

TODAY

community. Mitchell rejoined the Star "Morning Crew" in August, 2010.

"It was the hardest decision I have had to make in a long time.

I've had a great run." He said.

After revealing his decision to retire on Facebook, Mitchell was flooded with comments wishing him well. More than 80 people chimed in offering their congratulations.

Former Sheriff's Dispatcher Arrested for Kidnapping, Sexually Assaulting Teenager SARATOGA COUNTY - State Police have arrested a former dispatcher for the Saratoga County Sheriff's Department for allegedly kidnapping a teenage boy from an Albany child care center and sexually assaulting him.

According to the Saratoga County District Attorney, Timothy Kaye, 30, of Round Lake, and Eric Loeser, 21, of Clifton Park kidnapped a 15year-old boy from the Parsons Child and Family Center in Albany and then sexually assaulted him.

Both men were arraigned on Friday, November 11, and are being held without bail. They are scheduled to return to court on December 21.

SARATOGA

TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

Ruth Kissel Phillips Malta, NY Ruth Kissel Phillips, 85, passed away Friday, November 11, 2011.

Born in Albany, NY, she was the daughter of the late Harold and Mae Kissel and the wife of the late Raymond L. Phillips.

In addition to her parents and husband, she is predeceased by her brother, Harold (Bud) Kissel, Jr. and a sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Richard Rose.

She is survived by her six children, June Phillips, Thomas, Susan Yeager, Mark, Keith and Diana (Paul) Daniels; five grandchildren, Stephanie, Tiffany, Paul Jr.,

Michael and Jennifer; three great-grandchildren; sister, Dorothy (John) Miller; brother, and Robert (Deborah) Kissel; and several nieces, nephews and friends.

A funeral was conducted Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

Burial will be at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, (518) 5845373.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.

Ruth Bush Bryant Saratoga Springs, NY - Ruth Bush Bryant, 93, passed away Sunday, November 13, 2011.

Born on July 30, 1918, in Ballston Spa, she was the daughter of the late J. Joseph and Anna Fitzgerald Bush and wife to the late Walter C Bryant, Jr. In addition to her parents and loving husband, she is predeceased by her daughter, Patricia Bryant Villa; sister, Elizabeth (Bush) McNamara; and brother, Joseph Bush.

Survivors include one son, Retired Lt. Colonel Michael (Charlene) Bryant; three daughters, Carol (John) Lane, Maureen (Kevin) McDonnell and Ellen (Robert) Boyce; twelve grandchildren; Michael (Sharon) Bryant, Amy Bryant (Gregory) Atkins, David (Donna) Bryant, Colleen (Eduardo) Herrera, Anne Lane,

Amy (Kevin) Tichenor, Joshua (Kelly) Lane, Tara (Johnathan) Brabson, Alysia (David) Han, Christy (Darren) Daproza, Jamie and Kelly Boyce; 16 great-grandchildren; and four nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Thursday, November 17, 2011, in the Church of St. Peter, 241 Broadway, Saratoga Springs.. Burial will be in the family plot at St. Peter's Cemetery, West Ave., Saratoga Springs.

Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, (518) 584-5373.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.

Margaret “Maggie” Ellen Fort Lauderdale, FL - Margaret “Maggie” Ellen Healy, 50, passed away Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

Born on November 27, 1960, in Manhasset, NY, she was a daughter of the late John Martin Kathleen Veronica Malone Healy.

Maggie is survived by her sister, Kathleen (Michael) Healy-Gillen; nephew and niece, Michael and Jacqueline Gillen; uncle, Michael Malone; aunt, Lucy (Bill) Karamitsos; and several cousins and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale.

Graveside services were conducted Friday, November 11, 2011, at the family plot in St. Peter’s Cemetery, West Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Maggie’s name to St. Dominic’s Elementary School, 35 School Street, Oyster Bay, NY 11771.

Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, (518) 584-5373.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.

OBITUARIES

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Robert J. Dishaw

Saratoga Springs, NY - Robert J. Dishaw, 77, passed away Monday, November 14, 2011.

Robert (Bob) was born in 1934 in Norfolk, NY, the son of the late Lyle and Evelyn (LaComb) Dishaw.

In addition to his parents Robert is predeceased by two brothers, Paul and Charles (Helen) and sister, Marie (Tyler) Dishaw Bouyea.

Robert is survived by his wife, Lucille; daughters, Janet (Timothy) Zukas, Marjorie

(Edward) Fournier and Patricia (Timothy) Johnson; seven grandchildren, Amy, Timothy and Jessica (Zukas), Evan and Olivia (Fournier) and Morgan and Katelyn (Johnson); brother, Leo (Patricia); sister-in-law, Dora Dishaw; and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends may call from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 19, 2011, at Our Lady's Chapel, St. Clement's Church, 231 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow in the chapel.

Burial will be in the family plot at noon Monday, November 21, 2011, at St. Patrick's Cemetery, Colton, NY. Contributions may be made to a charity of one's choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, (518) 5845373.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.

Frank L. Buffardi Saratoga Springs, NY - Frank L. Buffardi, 92, passed away Wednesday, November 16, 2011.

Born on September 26, 1919, in Ballston Spa, he was the son of the late Louis and Philomena (Miranda) Buffardi and husband to the late Elizabeth Del Vecchio.

In addition to his parents and his wife, he was predeceased by his brothers, Lucian, Louis, Harry and Michael; sister, Anna Tuccillo; and son-in-law, Joseph Winney.

Survivors include two daughters, Patricia (Terry)

Fitch and Maureen Winney; three grandchildren, five great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends may call

from 4-7 p.m. Friday, November 18, 2011, at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, (518) 584-5373.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, November 19, 2011, at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 167 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa. Burial with military honors will follow in the family plot at St. Peter's Cemetery, West Ave., Saratoga Springs.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.

Charles Reid McCrossan Wilton, NY - Charles Reid McCrossan, 86, passed away November 14, 2011.

Born in Somerville, MA, he was the son of the late Dr. Charles and Alice (Reid) McCrossan. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Mary (Cullinane) and sister, Margaret Benson.

Survivors include his children, Francis (Patricia), Stephen (Kathleen) and Mia (Gregory) Pfitzer; grandchildren, Meaghan, Matthew, Patrick, Mary Beth, Daniel, Caroline and Gregory McCrossan and Michael and Sally Pfitzer; brother-in-law and sisters-in-

To view the full-text version of the obituaries printed on this page, visit the archive section of www.Saratoga TodayNewspaper.com. It is the policy of Saratoga TODAY to publish obituaries as a service to our readers. Please send your obituaries to Christina James at cjames@saratoga publishing.com.

law, Paul, Vera and Barbara Cullinane; and nephews, Paul and Christopher Cullinane.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Friday, November 18, 2011, at St.

Clement's Church, 231 Lake Ave. by the Rev. Timothy F. Keating, C.Ss.R. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charles’ memory to The Ballston Spa Community Band, c/o Tracy DeRagon, 5180 Nelson Ave. Ext., Ballston Spa, NY 12020, or Maryknoll Fathers, P.O. Box 304, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0304.

Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY, (518) 5845373.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com.

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Friday, November 18, 2011

6

TODAY

Foundation Announces Study Measures Saratoga 2011 Grant Recipients Race Course Impact Locally Owned and Operated 5 Case St., Saratoga Springs,NY 12866 Phone: (518) 581-2480 Fax: (518) 581-2487 www.saratogapublishing.com

Hours of operation 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday Publisher/Editor Chad Beatty 581-2480 x 212 cbeatty@saratogapublishing.com

General Manager Robin Mitchell 581-2480 x 208 rmitchell@saratogapublishing.com

Advertising Jim Daley 581-2480 x 209 jdaley@saratogapublishing.com

Cindy Durfey 581-2480 x 204 cdurfey@saratogapublishing.com

Art Department Tiffany Garland 581-2480 x 202 ads@saratogapublishing.com

Katy Holland 581-2480 x 215 graphics@saratogapublishing.com

Editorial Yael Goldman 581-2480 x 214 Newsroom Manager/Businessnews@saratogapublishing.com

Daniel Schechtman 581-2480 x 203 Sports Editor/ Education reporter@saratogapublishing.com

Arthur Gonick 581-2480 x 206 Entertainment / Simply Saratoga Editor entertainment@saratogapublishing.com

Christina James 581-2480 x 213 Editorial Assistant/Obituaries / Community Corner cjames@saratogapublishing.com

Calendar & Briefs Christina James 581-2480 x 213 cjames@saratogapublishing.com

Photographer Mark Bolles 490-1757 mbolles@photoandgraphic.com

Columnists Meghan D. Lemery meghanlemery@yahoo.com

Food: Suzanne Voigt sfmascv@nycap.rr.com

Pets:Jill Sweet jsweet@skidmore.edu

Parenting: Kate Towne Sherwin sksherwin@hotmail.com

BALLSTON SPA -The Saratoga Casino and Raceway Foundation announced the 2011 grant program awards at the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors meeting on November 15.

The Foundation awarded a total of $28,239 to 19 different agencies.

This was the seventh year of the program, with a total amount of $212,074.59 being awarded to date.

The monies were a combination of funds donated by Saratoga Casino and Raceway and the Saratoga Harness Horseman's Association.

Grants were awarded to: - Domestic Violence/Rape Crisis Services - $3,000 for one-on-one assistance for domestic violence victims - Prevention Council-$3,000 for programs to reduce teen gambling - Saratoga Central Catholic High School-$2,999 for a 'Smart' Blackboard - Franklin Community Center$2,000 to fund the Project Lift Open House for 2012 - Mechanicville Community Center-$2,000 for job readiness and micro-business afterschool programs - The Saratoga Springs Senior Center-$1,890 for arts, music and exploration programs - Stillwater Area Community Center-$1,800 for supplies for the

emergency shelter - Saratoga Center for the Family-$1,700 for the Strengthening Families Program - Bridging People and Places, One Person at a Time-$1,200 for a program for abused and neglected children - CAPTAIN Youth & Family Services-$1,000 for the Ana Maria Bonar Scholarship Foundation - The Children's Museum at Saratoga-$1,000 for art materials - Malta League of Arts-$1,000 for the 'Art Attitude' Art show.

- Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar$1,000 for scholarship programs - Saratoga Springs History Museum-$1,500 for fourth grade educational programs - National Center for Missing and Exploited Children-$1,000 for the Safe Child I.D. Program - Ballston Spa Film Festival$1,000 for events at the festival - Round Lake Library-$910 for the Lego Learning Project - Saratoga READS!-$800 for books for the Pass the Book Program - Operation Adopt-A-Soldier$500 for postage to send packages to veterans overseas - Saratoga Youth Lacrosse Association-$440 for equipment for the girl's team

by Arthur Gonick Saratoga TODAY SARATOGA COUNTY- The Saratoga Race Course has an estimated $186- $213 million impact on the economy each year, according to a report released this week by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency (IDA).

Expenditures from race course participants, owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders, totals $58 million, and tourist spending accounts for between $67 and $94 million each year. From these contributions, up to $14.6 million in tax revenue is generated.

The report, which was prepared

by HR&A Advisors, Inc., updates an economic impact analysis of the race course that was conducted in 2006. It measures the economic benefits of the annual summer race meeting in several categories on a nine county area, which includes and surrounds Saratoga County.

Other major findings related to Saratoga County included: Annually, Saratoga Race Course creates between 1,830 and 2,050 full-time jobs in the region.

Between 2005 and 2010, employment in racing-related industries increased by 30 percent in Saratoga County compared to an eight percent increase in non-racing related employment.

Tax revenues generated from the operation of Saratoga Race Course are estimated to range between $12.6 million and $14.6 million in 2010, with up to $5.5 million accrued to the City of Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County and up to $9.1 million to New York State.

Saratoga County experienced nine percent population growth in 2010 compared with the 2000 census. Overall, New York State saw a two percent increase in residents during the same time period.

The Saratoga County hospitality

and tourism industry has performed strongly in recent years, with a 3.1 percent increase in hotel overnight stays and over $40 million invested into the construction of 520 new hotel rooms during the past five years.

The median home value in Saratoga County, at $250,000, is the highest in the nine-county study region, and over $50,000 greater than the second highest county (Columbia) in the study. An analysis of properties in Saratoga Springs revealed at least 175 properties with a market value of $107 million belonged to persons connected to the Thoroughbred industry.

Saratoga County continues to be an attractive location for Thoroughbred breeding operations: nine percent of agricultural parcels throughout the county were classified as horse farms in 2010, a percentage that is much greater than the overall study region and New York State. This also is a significant increase from 2004, when only six percent of Saratoga County agricultural parcels were classified as horse farms.

The study also cited statistics that show Saratoga Race Course’s prominent place among Thoroughbred race tracks in New York State and throughout the country. Highlights include: Saratoga Race Course maintains a higher annual attendance, average daily attendance and average daily live handle than any other racetrack in the country that hosted at least five Grade 1 stakes races in 2011.

The average purse per race at Saratoga Race Course was approximately $62,880 in 2010, significantly higher than the New York State average of approximately $32,030.

Visit www.saratogacountyida.org for a link to the complete economic analysis.

SARATOGA

TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

7

Saratoga Springs City Council

by Arthur Gonick Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS Preparations for forthcoming votes on the 2012 city and county budgets dominated the agenda at the Tuesday, November 15 city council meeting.

At a public hearing about the 2012 comprehensive budget prior to the council meeting, Commissioner of Finance Ken Ivins commented that amendments were being put forward and would be posted on the city's website (www.saratoga-springs.org) early next week. He said that with these amendments, along with factors including greater sales and mortgage taxes and casino revenue, and lower insurance costs, it was likely that the property tax increase in an amended budget would be less than that projected (.54 percent) in the original comprehensive budget.

Later in the evening, budget workshops/public hearings were scheduled for Tuesday, November 29, at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday, November 30 at 3 p.m., in the city council room. The latter meeting will only be necessary if the council does not vote on the budget on the 29th. The council must pass a budget by November 30, or the comprehensive budget becomes the city's operating budget by default.

Mayor Scott Johnson also set a public hearing for November 29, at 6:20 p.m., to amend the 2011 capital budget to include the (officially named) Long Alley parking deck at 6 Woodlawn Avenue. This item was approved for the 2012 budget previously; amending the capital budget in this manner will allow the parking deck's construction to proceed at the fastest pace possible, with the intent of minimizing any inconveniences to downtown shoppers and tourists during the peak

summer season next year.

Supervisors Joanne Yepsen and Matthew Veitch both detailed their perspectives on the various options being explored to close a deficit in the county's $320 million 2012 budget. Saratoga County is facing a gap of $6-10 million next year.

Both supervisors expressed the opinion that raising the county's sales tax should be regarded as a last resort. Supervisor Veitch listed a number of items that he felt should be considered before a sales tax increase, and noted that because of the county's manual clock system, it took one county employee an entire day to change all the clocks! Supervisor Yepsen urged people to attend the county public hearing in Ballston Spa on Thursday, December 1, at 5:30 p.m. "It's your money," she said.

The vote on the county's 2012 budget is scheduled for Wednesday, December 14.

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SARATOGA

BUSINESS

Friday, November 18, 2011

TODAY

A Sweet Celebration Jo-Ann’s Candy House Looks Forward to 30th Holiday Season

by Yael Goldman Saratoga TODAY SARATOGA SPRINGS -The Bruno family is preparing for their 30th Christmas in business, this year with an extra emphasis on tradition.

Their business, Jo-Ann's Candy House, located on Route 50 in the Shoppes at Wilton, is a locallyowned candy boutique with something for every holiday and every sweet tooth. Owners April and Gene Bruno, and their children Justina and Joseph, opened the store in 1978 with a focus on community and family.

Now, three decades later, their daughter Justina, 21, is training to become the second generation

owner.

"We're ecstatic that our child is willing to make the commitment to take over," Gene said. "We hope for many anniversaries to come."

Justina, a 2008 Saratoga Springs High School graduate, grew up in her family's candy shop, and is eager to continue the 30-year tradition of offering delicious treats in a welcoming environment. Her brother Joseph, a 2001 grad and seventh grade math teacher at Maple Ave Middle School, also helps out.

"I was born with chocolate in my veins," she said. "I love this place; I'm excited to take over the business."

Justina knows she will have big

shoes to fill. Her parents candy shop has become an area staple and, for many customers, a piece of nostalgia.

"The same people have been coming here for years," Gene said.

Jo-Ann's Candy House opened in 1978 in the old Pyramid Mall, where the Brunos sold specialty sweets and chocolates for 21 years. When the mall was torn down in 1999, the Brunos had a choice to make. They could either close up shop and move onto something or new, or wait until a new storefront was built on Route 50.

The family wanted to stay. They waited three years to reopen across the street where their shop currently stands today - that's why they're celebrating 30 years, not 33.

As a small all-local business that's only growing stronger in this down economy, the greatest challenge for Jo-Ann's Candy House was getting through that out-of-business stint, a furlough that Gene said was wellworth the wait.

"We had 21 great years there," he said, referring to their time in the mall. "We love Saratoga so much and just love what we do, so we decided to wait it out and see if another opportunity came up."

That opportunity presented itself in 2003 at the Shoppes at Malta, and JoAnn's Candy House was re-born.

Photos by MarkBolles.com • Saratoga Today

April, Justina and Gene Bruno "[In terms of months] We have been at Exit 15 as a 'mom and pop' business longer than any other retail business here," Gene said.

Specialty is the secret ingredient for the success of this local business.

The shop is filled with unique sweets that are carefully made and displayed in a temperature controlled environment.

Although the Brunos work with an exclusive list of candy vendors, some that make products specifically for Jo-Ann's, the family also sells their own delicious chocolate creations.

April makes magic happen behind the bright, colorful front counter. She and her small candy-making team, which includes local chocolate pop artist Kelly Hellwig, make fresh treats each morning and are always coming up with new ways to sweeten the seasons.

Their creations include: homemade brownies, chocolate-dipped Oreos (double stuffed and mint), chocolate-covered marshmallows

April Bruno makes chocolatecovered strawberries and chocolate-dipped candy canes; caramel apples, liquor cups (only available for the holidays), salt caramels, chocolate-covered strawberries, homemade fudge, truffles and many other customer favorites, including a menagerie of chocolate pops that are available in almost every shape imaginable.

Jo-Ann's is decked out for the holidays, with a variety of celebratory treats for every occasion. This time of year, you'll find Thanksgiving Hannukkah and Christmas candies everything from handmade candy canes and peanut butter-filled ribbon candy to chocolate Santas (large and small) and decorative gift baskets with a little bit of everything.

For Gene, who takes great pride in his family, their business, and the community they've grown in, celebrating this 30th holiday season is a great reminder that the Saratoga business community extends far beyond Broadway.

"We're not downtown, but we are very local; our kids were both born at Saratoga Hospital, they graduated from Saratoga Springs High School; we belong here," Gene said.

For more information about JoAnn's Candy House, call (518) 5810405 or visit their Facebook page.

SARATOGA

BUSINESS 9 Turning Point Chiropractic Clinic Opens TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

by Yael Goldman Saratoga TODAY SARATOGA SPRINGS - Adam Favro and Elizabeth Meliski recently opened Turning Point Chiropractic, a health care clinic that takes a unique approach to wellness. The husbandwife pair held their grand opening at 195 Church Street in Saratoga Springs on November 7.

Turning Point Chiropractic clinic provides a wide range of wellness services for individuals of all ages.

The facility is state-of-the-art, and conveniently located next to Saratoga Hospital.

Meliski said there are many reasons to see a chiropractor, but that people most commonly seek treatment for pain management or to improve their overall well-being.

"We have something different to offer," Meliski said, explaining that she her husband offer general and specialized chiropractic treatment.

Both chiropractors earned their degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minneapolis; they have separate specialties, and together offer a diverse range of care.

Meliski, who grew up in Stillwater, is passionate about working with infants, children and mothers-to-be.

She specializes in adjusting techniques for pregnant mothers and children, and is currently finishing her diplomate through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

SBA Appoints David Carroll

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Saratoga Builders Association Inc. Board of Directors announced this week that it has appointed David S. Carroll to serve as General Counsel to the Association.

Carroll, a Saratoga Springs resident, serves as Of Counsel to Anderson Byrne PLLC, a full service law firm based in Saratoga Springs. He specializes in business law counseling, not-for-profit corporation law and real estate law.

Carroll is also the co-founder and managing director of Northeast Government Consulting, LLC.

According to Meliski, not many people know that chiropractic care is beneficial for infants and young children. She said that treatment can help improve an infants’ sleep habits, strengthen their immune system, and in some cases alleviate symptoms of colic and asthma, but that working with their changing bodies requires an extra attention to detail.

"Children are very delicate," she said. "But they respond really well to care because they are growing and changing; more often than not, we see children responding to care as well, if not better, than adults."

Similarly, Meliski said pregnant mothers require specialized attention because their body is changing. She went above the standard chiropractic education to study those specific changes and is currently certified in the Webster Technique.

The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that facilitates balance in pelvic structures, muscles and ligaments.

Like his wife and business partner, Favro is an across-the-board chiropractor, but with his own specialty.

Favro's true passion is working with athletes. Before he and Meliski moved to Saratoga Springs, Adam worked in Minnesota as the official chiropractor for the Twin Cities Marathon and 10K and worked with Team USA runners who were competing in national events.

Along with his passion for athletics, Adam is a Certified Strength and

Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S.), which allows him to focus on movement patterns and also better assist patients in getting to the root of the problem and teaching them how to manage their health in the future.

"Humans are creatures of habit," he said, explaining how sitting in front of a computer every day with forward head posture can cause breathing and postural problems, which can decrease one's lung capacity by 30 percent.

"I specialize in how people are moving, and make them more efficient in how they are moving to alleviate symptoms and improve their quality of life," he said.

As a certified Active Release Techniques provider, Favro uses a highly specialized muscle stretching technique to treat and repair any muscle in the body.

"I also use it for nerve issues; for treating carpal tunnel and sciatic nerve problems," he said.

There are many reasons to see a chiropractor, and the team at Turning Point encourages you to stop in for a free consultation to learn if you are a candidate for treatment.

"We are excited to offer our services to the residents and guests of Saratoga, and we think we can really make a difference in people's health care," Favro said.

For more information about Turning Point Chiropractic, visit www.turningpointsaratoga.com or call (518) 584-9500.

Photo provided

Elizabeth Meliski and Adam Favro are celebrating the grand opening of their chiropractic clinic on Church St.

SARATOGA

Friday, November 18, 2011

10

Elementary Students Collect for Area Food Pantries

Community Supports Food Pantry continued from Page 1

The students at Dorothy Nolan Elementary have once again gone above and beyond to help their local community. Their annual food drive, spearheaded by school nurse Sue Norton, collected non-perishable items to stock the shelves at the Wilton Food Pantry and the Franklin Community Center. From October 24 to November 4, students, faculty and staff brought in donations in hopes of making a needy family’s holiday season a little brighter.

“We received nine large boxes,” said Bo Goliber, coordinator of development and volunteers at the Franklin Community Center. “More than 20 people used the food pantry Wednesday alone, and our donated food items are going out as fast as they are coming in. It is a rough time of year, and donations like this really help.”

TODAY

Deputy Supervisor Raymond O’Conor voted in favor of the funding, but were overruled by Councilmen Robert Rice, Charles Gerber and Robert Pulsifer.

“When you first start up a food pantry, there are certain limitations,” said Supervisor Johnson. “For six months you can’t get food through the regional food bank, among other challenges. So I was just trying to help them along in getting started for their first year. I thought that they were certainly a worthy organization to fund.”

“I think things like the food pantry are terrific, private initiatives,” said Councilmen Pulsifer, who voted against the town funding the pantry. “The wrong place to look for funding is government, because when you start talking about

government jumping in there, that will probably dissuade private people from making donations because they assume the government will pick up the tab. Honestly, it’s not the town’s responsibility to help create the social safety net that maybe the state government or federal government ought to provide.”

Government funding for this type of project, argued Pulsifer, would open up what he considers to be a dangerous precedent.

“This was a good idea, but if the town starts supporting this, what other good ideas are we to support as well?” said Pulsifer.

While Towers and the WFP were disappointed by the town’s decision, the organization is still plowing forward with its mission.

“It speaks volumes about priorities,” said Towers about the town’s vote. “But I don’t believe that it speaks for the community.”

Despite leaving the pantry without official town support, the community’s response has been overwhelmingly positive to the new food pantry operating out of Trinity United Methodist Church at 155 Ballard Rd. in Wilton.

“DA Collins stepped up as a business and did a company-wide food drive. That provided over 420 items, which is substantial, and they also donated $1,000 cash on top of that,” said Towers.

In addition, entire neighborhoods, such as Furlong Hills, have gotten into the act. The neighborhood held “Make a Difference Day,” where they organized a food drive of their own after contacting the WFP for guidance.

“They let us know what they were doing, and we provided them our logo and a list of our needs. The rest they did themselves, which was great,” said Towers, who encourages others with similar initiatives to contact the WFP for their

assistance.

SUNY Adirondack has also pitched in with the effort, along with schools like Dorothy Nolan Elementary and businesses like Custom Renovations.

“One thing that really touches me is that a lot of kids for Halloween, instead of collecting candy, they went out and collected food and brought it to the food bank,” said Towers.

While the food pantry, still in its infancy, is currently unable to apply for food from the regional food bank or for numerous funding grants (they must hit the one year mark to apply for such grants), it’s contributions like those listed above that keep the organization alive, that give it a sense of hope and purpose.

“There is food insecurity in Wilton. People are forced to make a choice – do I buy glasses for my kid? Do I pay a bill? Or do I eat?

The WFP board members and the volunteers and the community will make sure that we are there to resolve the food insecurity that obviously exists in our community.”

As the holidays draw near, the WFP is once again turning to the community and asking for their support. Individuals are encouraged to donate both food and funds, and organizations are invited to contact the pantry to organize food drives of their own. Visit www.wiltonfoodpantry.org tolearn more about the organization, or to see how you can get involved.

“Every time we get our name out there, there’s a direct increase in the amount of donations and in the number of people coming in for assistance,” said Towers. “Our focus right now is to get things going, feed people, make the community aware of us and put our feet on solid ground.”

For more information, visit www.wiltonfoodpantry.org.

SARATOGA

TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

Malta continued from Page 1 with emergency medicine physicians on the first floor, and medical offices for primary care and specialty physicians on the second level.

The outpatient center will offer a cost-effective alternative to emergency room care, with full access to medical imaging and lab services, and the expertise of staff from both Capital Region hospitals. Plans call for a helipad and ambulance bays to allow fast transit for patients needing critical care.

Wednesday’s groundbreaking begins the first phase of Saratoga Medical Park at Malta, a 140-acre center to be constructed in five phases over the next 20 years. In addition to the urgent care facility, the medical park will include a nursing home, assisted living facility, a physical therapy and fitness center and a hospital, as outlined in the draft general environmental impact statement posted on the Malta town website (www.malta-town.org).

Saratoga Hospital, which purchased the site in 2007, and Albany Med announced the joint venture in September 2010.

“At a time when other organizations are focused on competing, Saratoga Hospital and Albany Med have chosen a more innovative and more effective approach – partnering and combining our strengths to better serve our growing community,” said Angelo Calbone, president and CEO, Saratoga Hospital.

Saratoga Medical Park at Malta is located off of Northway Exit 12 across from the Hyatt Place hotel, which is just minutes from Luther Forest Technology Campus and the $4.6 billion GlobalFoundries chip fabrication plant.

Located at the center of Saratoga County, one of the fastest growing regions in the state, the medical

center will meet the needs of the area’s growing population and alleviate emergency room congestion.

The cost of emergency care is expensive for both patients and providers, and studies show that 80 percent of emergency room visits could be treated in a physician’s office. With access to 24-hour medical care at the new Malta center, county residents will be able to receive the treatment they need for, on average, the price of their regular co-pay.

Once complete, the new center will replace Saratoga Hospital’s current urgent care facility located off of Route 9. Emergency physicians from Albany Med joined the staff at that facility in July.

The urgent care center is expected to open in October 2012, and a team of Albany and Saratoga County companies will complete the work: Albany-based HCP Architects designed the facility, Columbia Development is the project developer, and BBL Medical Facilities is the general contractor; Plumb Excel Ground Engineering of Menands will complete the mechanical, electrical and plumbing work; Saratoga Springs-based LAGroup is the civil engineer, Environmental Design Partnership of Clifton Park was involved in designing the roadwork, and Jersen Construction of Waterford is the general contractor for the roadwork.

Healthcare Partners of Saratoga, Ltd., a new not-for-profit formed by Albany Med and Saratoga Hospital, will operate the center.

11

CREDC Unveils Development Plan SARATOGA COUNTY – The Capital Region Economic Development Council (CREDC) has submitted its five-year strategic economic development plan to the State of New York, competing against nine other economic development councils for state funding.

“We are focused on building a Capital Region economic ecosystem that is locally collaborative, globally competitive and economically vibrant,” said CREDC co-chair and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson.

The plan includes proposals for transformative projects that would sustain and grow jobs, leveraging $11 in private sector investment for every $1 invested by the state.

“Some of the transformative projects [include] GlobalFoundries Fab 8, which continues to be a large investment opportunity for industry here,” said Dennis Brobston, a member on the council as well as president of Saratoga Economic Development Council.

“There’s a company named Amkor that is looking to build a manufacturing site somewhere in Saratoga County, and that too was listed as a transformative project because of its connection to manufacturing in the semicon-

ductor and nanotechnology industry,” Brobston added.

Other Capital Region resources, such as the Nanoscale School of Science and Engineering in Albany, and the Hudson Valley Community College Tech-Smart campus in Malta, are also key to the region’s success and the CREDC plan, said Brobston. Both schools will work to train students for the manufacturing tech positions in the industry, not just at GlobalFoundries, but at many of the support companies coming to the area as well.

“We’re also working on reinvigorating the Corinth International Paper site,” said Brobston. “We’re working with a company named Moncada Energy Group and also Waste Connections Inc. They’re actually working on an agreement right now to partner together and take over the site.”

Both companies, said Brobston,

have a record of supporting the communities they are located in, and would bring hundreds of jobs to northern Saratoga County.

Now that the plans have been submitted to the state, the councils must wait to hear just how much funding will be approved for each of the different councils and the regions they represent.

An announcement is expected either late this year or early next.

“I’m very pleased with the plan. I think we did a great job as a community of eight counties.

We all worked hard to make sure every county was understood, and I was very pleased with the ability to listen that other members of the council displayed.

They took it to heart,” said Brobston.

12

SARATOGA

RELIGION

Places of Worship

7:30 p.m. • Handicapped Accessible

Please contact Robin Mitchell for any copy changes: (518) 581-2480x 208 rmitchell@saratogapublishing.com

Corinth Free Methodist Church 8 Mountain Ledge, Wilton Contact: 587-0623; acfsaratoga.com Services: Sunday 8 a.m. & 10 a.m.

Adirondack Christian Fellowship 8 Mountain Ledge, Wilton Contact: 587-0623; acfsaratoga.com Services: Sunday 8 a.m. & 10 a.m.

Corinth United Methodist Church 243 Main Street, Corinth Contact: 654-2521; cfumc@cnyconnect.net Services: Sunday 10:30 a.m.

The Alliance Church 257 Rowland St., Ballston Spa Contact: 885-6524.

Services: Morning worship 10:30 a.m.

Assembly of God Faith Chapel Rev. Jason Proctor 6 Burgoyne St., Schuylerville Contact: 695-6069 Services: Sunday 10:45 a.m.

Assembly of God Saratoga 118 Woodlawn Ave Saratoga Springs NY 12866 Contact: 584-6081 Sunday Worship 10 a.m.

Please come early for coffee at 9:45 a.m.

Bacon Hill Reformed Church 560 Route 32N, Bacon Hill, NY Contact: 695-3074 Rev. Janet Vincent Worship service 10 a.m.

Sunday School 10 a.m.

All are welcome. Handicapped accessible Baha’i Community of Saratoga Springs Contact:584-9679; 692-7694; usbnc.org.

Ballston Center Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church 58 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa Contact: 885-7312; www,ballstoncenterarpchurch.org Services: Sunday Worship Service, 10:30 a.m.

Ballston Spa United Methodist Church 101 Milton Ave.• Contact: 885-6886.

Services: Sunday 10:00 a.m.

Bethesda Episcopal Church 41 Washington St., Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-5980.

Services: Sunday, 6:30, 8 & 10 a.m.

Church of Christ at Clifton Park 7 Old Route 146, Clifton Park Contact: 371-6611, cliftonparkchurchofchrist.com Services: Sunday 10:30 a.m.

Christ Community Reformed Church 1010 Route 146, Clifton Park Contact: 371-7654; ccrc-cpny.org.

Services: Sundays 9:15 & 11 a.m.

Christ Episcopal Church Corner of Routes 50 and 67, Ballston Spa • Contact: 885-1031.

Services: Sunday 8 & 10 a.m.

Congregation Shaara Tfille 84 Weibel Avenue, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-2370; saratogasynagogue.org Services: Sat. 9:30 a.m., Mon. & Thurs. 7:30 a.m., 3rd Fri. each month

Cornerstone Community Church Associate Pastor Paul Shepherd located in the Malta Commons Contact: 899-7001 mycornerstonechurch.org Services: Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Community 2001 Route 9 Round Lake (Exit 10 of Northway) • Contact: 877-8506 ccorpusc@nycap.rr.com Mass Schedule: Sat. 4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Weekday Masses Mon-Fri at 9 a.m.

Eastern Orthodox Christ the Savior 349 Eastline Road, Ballston Spa Contact: 786-3100; xcsavior@yahoo.com.

Services: Sunday: 9:15 a.m.

First Baptist Church 45 Washington St., Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-6301.

Services: Sunday: 11:00 a.m.

First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa 202 Milton Ave. (Rt. 50), Ballston Spa Contact: 885-8361; fbcballstonspa.org Services: 10:15 a.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Ballston Spa 22 West High Street, Ballston Spa Contact: 885-5583 Services: Sunday at 10 a.m.

Grace Brethren Church Rev. Dan Pierce 137 W. Milton Road, Ballston Spa Contact: 587- 0649 Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Handicapped accessible.

Grace Community Church of Malta Wed. 7:30pm - Good Times Restaurant, Lake Rd. 2nd Floor Fri. Saratoga Chapel - 7:30 p.m., corner of Eastline & Lake Rd. Sun. 10 a.m. - Comfort Suites, Clifton Park Northway EX. 11 next to Chili's Greater Grace Community Church Pastor David Moore 43 Round Lake Rd. Ballston Lake (Malta Mall) Contact: 899-7777; .ggcc-malta.org Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Highway Tabernacle Church 90 River Road, Mechanicville Contact: 664- 4442.

Services: Sunday 10:30 a.m.

Hope Church 206 Greenfield Avenue, Ballston Spa Contact: 885-7442.

Friday, November 18, 2011 Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Jonesville United Methodist 963 Main St., Clifton Park Contact: 877-7332.

Services: Sunday 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:30 a.m.

Living Springs Community Church 59 Pine Road, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584- 9112.

Services: Sunday 10:30 a.m.

Living Waters Church of God 4330 State Rt. 50, Saratoga Springs Contact: 587-0484; livingwaterscog.us Services: Sundays 10 a.m.

Malta Presbyterian Church Dunning Street, Malta Contact: 899-5992.

Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Malta Ridge United Methodist Church 729 Malta Avenue Ext., Malta Contact: 581-0210.

Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Middle Grove United Methodist Church Pastor Bonnie Bates 429 Middle Grove Rd., Middle Grove Contact: 581-2973 Services: Sunday 9:00 a.m.

Handicapped accessible New Horizon Church 150 Perry Road, Saratoga Springs Contact: 587-0711.

Services: Sunday 9:30 a.m.

New Life Fellowship 51 Old Gick Road, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Contact: 580-1810; newlifeinsaratoga.org.

Services: Sunday 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Childcare is available at all services.

NorthStar Church Shenendehowa High School, West Auditorium, Clifton Park Contact: 371-2811; northstarchurch.com Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Old Saratoga Reformed Church 48 Pearl St., Schuylerville Contact:oldsaratogareformed church.org Services: Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Handicapped accessable.

Old Stone Church Affiliated with the American Baptist Churches 159 Stone Church Rd., Ballston Spa Contact: 583-1002 Sunday: 9 a.m. Adult Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Service 11:45 a.m. Coffee & Fellowship in Living Stone Hall Wednesday: Noon Pot Luck Luncheon 1 p.m. Choir rehearsal, 2 p.m. Bible Study Group PresbyterianNE Congregational Church 24 Circular St., Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-6091; pnecc.org Services: Sunday 10:45 a.m.

Quaker Springs United Methodist Church Pastor Jim Knapp

466 Route 32 South, Quaker Springs Contact: 695-3101; qsumc.com Services: Sundays 9 a.m.

Handicapped accessible.

River of Hope Fellowship 100 Saratoga Village Blvd.

Malta Commons, Suite 3 Malta, NY 12020 Contact: 881-1505; riverofhopefellowship.com Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter 241 Broadway, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-2375.

Services: Eucharistic Celebrations: Saturday 5 p.m.; Sunday 7:30, 9 & 11 a.m.

St. Clement’s Roman Catholic Church 231 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-6122.

Services: Saturday 4 p.m.; Sunday 8, 9:30, 11:15 a.m. & 5 p.m.

St. George's Episcopal Church 912 Route 146, Clifton Park Contact: 371-6351; stgeorge@csdsl.net Services: Saturday at 4:30 p.m., Sunday at 8 & 9:30 a.m.

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church 3159 Route 9N, Greenfield Center Contact: 893-7680; sjoegctr@nycap.rr.com rcda.org/churches/ St.JosephsChurch Services: Saturday 4 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m. Handicapped accessible.

St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church 167 Milton Ave., Ballson Spa Contact: 885-7411 stmarysbsta.org Services: Saturday 4 p.m., Sunday 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m.

Handicapped accessible St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church 771 Route 29, Rock City Falls Contact: 893-7680; sjoegctr@nycap.rr.com; rcda.org/churches/ St. Joseph’s Church Services: Sunday Mass 8:30 a.m.

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church 149 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-0904.

Services: Saturday evening at 5 p.m. with Holy Communion.

Sundays at 8:30 & 11 a.m. with Holy Communion.

St. Peter Lutheran Church 2776 Route 9, Malta Contact: 583-4153 Services: Sunday mornings 8:30 & 10:30 a.m.

St. Thomas of Canterbury 242 Grooms Road, Halfmoon Contact: st-thomas-of-canterbury.org Service: Sunday at 10 a.m.

Saratoga Abundant Life Church 2325 Route 50 South, Saratoga Springs Contact: 885-5456;

TODAY

saratogaabundantlife.org Services: Sunday 9:30 a.m.

Saratoga Chabad 130 Circular St., Saratoga Springs Contact: 526-0773; saratora@aol.com saratogachabad.com Saratoga Friends Meeting (Quaker) Corner of Routes 32 and 71, Quaker Springs Contact: 587-7477; 399-5013.

Services: Sunday 10 a.m.

Saratoga United Methodist Church Henning Road at Fifth Avenue, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-3720; saratogaumc.com.

Services: Sunday 9 & 10:45 a.m.

Handicapped accessible.

Saratoga Seventh-Day Adventist Church 399 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs Contact: 882-9384;saratogasda.org Sabbath School: 10 a.m.

Worship Service: 11:30 a.m.

Shenendehowa United Methodist 971 Route 146, Clifton Park Contact: 371-7964.

Services: Sunday 7:45, 9 & 10:45 a.m.; Acts II Contempory 10:45 a.m.

Simpson United Methodist Church Rock City Road, Rock City Falls Contact: 885-4794.

Services: Sunday 10:45 a.m.

Soul Saving Station for Every Nation Christ Crusaders of America 62 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-3122 Services: Sunday 10 a.m & 6:30 p.m.

Temple Sinai 509 Broadway, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-8730.

Services: Friday 8 p.m.

Handicapped accessible Trinity United Methodist Church Rev. Gail Falsetti-Pastor 155 Ballard Rd., Gansevoort Contact: 584-9107; tumcwilton.com Service: Sunday 10:00 a.m.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Saratoga Springs 624 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs Contact: 584-1555; saratoga-uu.org Services: 10 a.m. Religious education and nursery care at the 10 a.m. service each Sunday Unity Church in Albany 21 King Avenue, Albany Contact: 453-3603: Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.

West Charlton United Presbyterian Church Rev. Thomas Gregg, Pastor 1331 Sacandaga Rd., West Charlton Contact: 882-9874; westcharltonupc.org Services: Sunday 10:30 a.m.

Wilton Baptist Church 755 Saratoga Rd, Wilton Contact: 583-2736; wiltonbaptist@gmail.com; wiltonbaptistchurch.com Services: Sunday Service 11 a.m.

SARATOGA

TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

HELPING HANDS 13

Help a Ballston Spa Student Succeed

by Christina James Saratoga TODAY Capital Region Sponsor-AScholar, which was founded in 1996 and is a model of a successful Philadelphia-based program, has been helping at-risk youth graduate high school and pursue postsecondary education since its inception.

The Sponsor-A-Scholar (SAS) Program influences participant success by providing both financial aid and positive role models. SAS pairs economically disadvantaged, but academically motivated students up with influential role models, or mentors, who meet with the students weekly and help them stay the course of education.

It is this mentor/student pairing that makes the program so successful and the program’s success has not been overlooked here in Saratoga County. Both Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa have implemented their own SAS programs.

The Ballston Spa Central School District implemented their SponsorA-Scholar Program four years ago and is very happy with its success.

“The program provides mentoring and incentives to students who are in need of extra support to succeed,” said the Ballston Spa School District’s Coordinator of Community Relations Stuart Williams. “[Our] program is coordinated by guidance counselors Cathy Roy and Kevin Flores with mentors provided by State Farm Insurance Company’s regional office in Malta, Ballston Spa National Bank, as well as area businesses.”

SAS mentors are the support system of the program, and the key to its success. “Mentors come from a variety of backgrounds and have a variety of interests,” Williams explained. “Ideally, [a good mentor candidate is] an adult in the community who is successful in life, college educated, and has an interest and commitment to assist young adults succeed.”

Ballston Spa SAS is funded by area corporations, as well as individual donors, and the program is continuously looking for more community support. “[The program] is always in need of mentors (one day a week – after school – 2:30-3:30), scholarships or general donations,” said Williams.

Contributions to provide resources for the next class of students can be sent to The Ballston Spa Partnership for Innovation in Education Fund, Office of District Advancement, BSCSD, 70 Malta Ave., Ballston Spa, NY 12020. To volunteer or for more information, call (518) 884-7150.

“The Sponsor-A-Scholar Program provides students with opportunities to realize their true

Upcoming Blood Drives Empire State College

Town of Milton Community Gideon Putnam Resort 24 Gideon Putnam Rd., Center

2 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs Tuesday, November 22, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

310 Northline Rd., Ballston Spa Tuesday, November 22, from 1-6 p.m.

potential,” said Coordinator of Counseling Laurel Logan-King, for the Ballston Spa schools. “We are so pleased to see the success of the first groups of students and to now be in our fifth year of the program in our high school.”

Photo Provided

Ballston Spa’s fifth class of Sponsor-A-Scholar students.

Saratoga Springs Wednesday, November 23, from noon-5 p.m.

SARATOGA

Friday, November 18, 2011

14

Workforce continued from Page 1 drain,” the loss of a skilled workforce due to a lack of housing that is affordable to manufacturing, retail and hospitality staff and young professionals just entering the workforce.

The availability of housing to all levels of workers is critical to economic growth. It is the working people within a community, not just the affluent, who support our local economy.

Take for example the GlobalFoundries project.

Surrounding communities should consider not only the availability of housing for the highest paid

employees, but also the support staff. Research engineers may be able to afford a $400,000 house, but where will the custodians live? In addition, consider the employees of the surrounding businesses, which will surely be affected by the expanding workforce.

A healthy community includes affordable housing options for police, firefighters, nurses, teachers and the barista who pours the CEO’s latte every morning.

In any industry lower paying jobs will generally outnumber six-figure salaries, and the housing market for that workforce needs to be addressed. If employees cannot afford to live near their jobs they are forced to drive extensive distances.

This impacts their productivity and attendance reliability, especially

during winter weather. this commute will increase the cost of doing business for any industry, as they must compensate their workers enough to make the long commute worthwhile. If Saratoga County intends to remain the destination of choice for large employers and their skilled workforce, we must be sensitive to these issues.

Shelby Schneider of Saratoga Economic Development Corporation agrees that there is a need for workforce housing in Saratoga County.

“We are blessed that we are known for our quality of life, and a demand for high-end housing, but we are seeing people who are educated in the area but can’t afford to [work] here,” Schneider said. “They are important to growing our economy, so we need to offer many levels of housing options that encourage them to stay.”

Affordable housing assistance is available for our lowest income residents, yet even those programs are strained due to lack of funding.

Saratoga County Rural Preservation Company (SCRPC), which administers the countywide Section 8 Rental Assistance Program, currently houses over 260 people with rental vouchers, with a 100 person waiting list that is currently two to three years long and has been closed since January 2008. Meanwhile, the only option for those on the waiting list is to do the best they can to get by.

The Section 8 Program has strict income eligibility restrictions that exclude many working families who earn too much for assistance but still cannot afford to live near their employers.

“We try to improve the quality of life for all Saratoga County residents by attracting new business while supporting existing industry and talent,” said Schneider, explaining that you can support the workforce by integrating affordable housing units into existing housing stock.

“Workforce housing doesn’t necessarily mean new housing tracts,” she said. For example, in-law apartments (small rental units attached to larger houses) can offer affordable rental options within a higher-end community.

There are many ongoing efforts throughout Saratoga County to improve existing workforce housing stock. The Village of Schuylerville recently partnered with SCRPC on a New York Main Street (NYMS) Grant Program. NYMS encourages building owners to improve the downtown business district which in

turn stimulates the local economy.

The state grant program provides up to 75 percent reimbursement for improvements made to commercial spaces as well as upper level rental apartments. To date, Schuylerville has completed 15 projects on seven properties, including improvements to six rental units. As a stipulation of the NYMS Program, the rental units will remain affordable to people earning below 80 percent of the median income (as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development) – that’s roughly $45,000 a year for a family of four.

“It has been an incredibly successful program so far,” said Schuylerville Village Mayor John Sherman. “We plan to apply for continued funding and keep the program going.”

In addition to the Main Street Program, the village has administered an owner-occupied housing rehabilitation grant program since 2007. The rehabilitation program is available to owner-occupied 1-4 unit residential properties. Owners agree to remain in the home for five years following completion of grant-funded improvements. For rental units, rents must remain affordable for the five year period.

“Income qualified homeowners can access grant funds to fix up their homes; make them energy efficient and keep them affordable to current and future residents,” said Sherman.

Improvements to existing single and multi-family homes is yet another way to maintain affordability for the young educated workforce that often finds it challenging to live near our area’s large employers.

Colin McKnight with the NYS Rural Housing Coalition, recently worked with a large manufacturing company that was looking to relocate from Putnam County to an area with more reasonable housing costs.

The business was very successful, but had trouble recruiting skilled workers.

“They couldn’t recruit new machinists because they couldn’t afford housing in Putnam or any other surrounding counties,” McKnight said. “[The business] was looking at moving elsewhere to correct the problem and remain competitive in the workplace.”

According to McKnight, Saratoga County is in danger of facing a similar issue: “If we fail to recognize the importance of providing quality housing to a diverse workforce, any attempts at economic growth will not be sustainable,” he said.

Lack of housing can have a domino effect on the local economy. A working family may face economic

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instability, yet try to stay in their house or apartment longer than is truly feasible in their current situation. Without affordable housing choices, families have to choose between hanging onto an unsustainable lifestyle or moving out of the community they love. A family that leaves an unaffordable area is no longer supporting that local economy, which in turn can lead to more layoffs in the retail and service industry.

It’s a vicious cycle that grows worse until a community finds itself on the brink of losing its labor force.

Jeff, who I interviewed for the first article in this series, offers a perfect example: He has found work, but at a much lower pay rate than his former job. With the family’s saving severely depleted by nearly a year of unemployment, Jeff is now planning to relocate his family to another county.

Before he was laid off, Jeff and his wife were frequent supporters of their local downtown merchants.

“We ate out once or twice a week, always tried to buy local, attended local events and concerts,” Jeff said, adding that with his recent pay cut he can no longer afford to support his community. “It’s sad. We love it here; I wish there was an alternative.”

When asked if workforce housing would have affected his decision, Jeff said his primary reason for leaving the area was lack of affordable housing.

“Two counties away I can get the same size apartment in a nice neighborhood for half the price,” said Jeff. “It’s like we have to readjust our expectations – do I want to live in Saratoga just barely scraping by, or move and have that [financial] cushion?”

If Saratoga County is to remain a destination of choice for business and tourism, the point of intervention to support economic growth is workforce housing. Community vitality requires economic diversity – we cannot price skilled laborers out of our housing market. We as a community can choose to provide both rental and homeownership options in desirable locations at a variety of price points for all levels of our workforce.

Michelle Read DeGarmo has been working in the human services field for 16 years. She currently works with Marvin & Company Community Revitalization, a local consulting firm that helps rural municipalities administer affordable housing programs. Look for a conclusion to this series in next week’s edition of Saratoga TODAY.

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Friday, November 18, 2011

15

16

EDUCATION

"Scottie's Closet" Provides Clothing to Hundreds of Residents

by Daniel Schechtman Saratoga TODAY BALLSTON SPA - A recent clothing drive at Ballston Spa Middle School has given hundreds of community members and their families a new wardrobe ready for winter, thanks to the support and dedication of students, parents, local organizations and business leaders.

The Ballston Spa Middle school transformed their cafeteria earlier this month into a pseudo-department store, inviting students and families to browse the racks for free clothing, including winter coats, hats, mittens, boots, shoes and more. The event, entitled "Scottie's Closet," was put together by the middle school's PTA, school social workers, students and teachers, with partial funding from

State Farm Insurance and support from CVS and Rickett's Fabric Care Services.

"The outpouring of support for our first ever Scottie's Closet is definitely evidence of wonderful things coming to fruition," said Pamela Motler, coprincipal of Ballston Spa Middle School. "Parents, staff and students all came together to collect, wash and distribute literally hundreds of articles of clothing to our fellow community members. This event was truly remarkable, and we are grateful to have so many caring, hard-working staff members and parents at the middle school."

The "gently-used" items available at the event were donated by the school's community, including staff, students and families. Both students and members of the PTA volunteered

photo provided

Parents and children comb through clothing at Scottie’s Closet.

their time to sort through the clothing and set-up the makeshift shop, with high school students in the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Greater Caterer Program providing baked refreshments, along with the PTA's coffee and apple cider.

With an emphasis placed on financial literary, the Scottie's Closet event was made possible thanks to a financial grant from the State Farm Insurance agency, which was used to purchase "Kids Cash Kit Caboodle Bags" from the NY Credit Union Foundation. The bags are designed to engage children in a conversation about the fundamentals of finances by using fun and simple activities to grab their attention.

"This was truly a great event that demonstrated a strong partnership between the school and the community," said co-principal Richard Ruberti. "This positive event confirmed how school community members can all come together to provide for the needs of our students and families."

Feedback from those browsing the selection at Scottie's Closet was both positive and appreciative. One mother, who asked not to be identified, stated, "I deeply appreciate what [they] all have done. It requires a blessed heart to give back to families like mine who so need this."

Said one youngster in the crowd after finding himself a new winter coat, "Thank you, thank you. I've

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Friday, November 18, 2011

never had anything this nice before!"

A local CVS store donated travelsized shampoo bottles for the event.

Rickett's Fabric Care Services also donated vouchers for their laundry facility, along with hangers used to display the clothing.

Following the success of Scottie's Closet inaugural run this November,

Second Chance Scholarship Foundation Donates $400K to HVCC Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) was given $400,000 from the Second Chance Scholarship Foundation to create an endowed fund that will expand the Second Chance Scholarship Program on campus.

This donation is one of the single largest scholarship gifts in the college's history.

Second Chance Scholarships are aimed at students who not only are in need, but who overcome tremendous personal obstacles in order to pursue an education. The goal is to reward those who demonstrate the initiative and desire to achieve self-sufficiency through education. Students also are required to demonstrate academic achievement.

Over a 22-year period, more than 400 Hudson Valley students have received scholarships totaling more than $1 million from the Second Chance Scholarship Foundation. In 2007, the financial aid office at Hudson Valley was named the Mastrangelo Financial Aid Office in honor of the benefactors.

"Students who attain their education against all odds are to be congratulated. And, in so many cases, these students are the ones with the greatest financial need.

With this significant donation to the Second Chance Scholarship Program at Hudson Valley, we will be able to help these deserving students over and above the standard financial aid amount, and also give them the confidence to continue their educational pursuits," said Andrew Matonak, president of HVCC. "We thank the Second Chance Scholarship Foundation for seeing the college as a fitting repository for its

TODAY

the school plans to hold another such event in the spring.

For more information about Scottie's Closet's, please contact the middle school's social workers, Christine Jones or Gaylen Wichrowski, at (518) 884-7200, or by email at cjones@bscsd.org or gwichrowski@bscsd.org.

funds."

Among the stipulations for the colleges to receive the money, Hudson Valley's Foundation must provide 10 scholarships through ongoing fundraising efforts and fund an additional 10 scholarships through the endowment.

Eligibility and selection of candidates must meet the requirements of the original Second Chance Program.

SUNY Adirondack Student Named Finalist in National Writing Contest Mike Durkee, a liberal arts/humanities major at SUNY Adirondack, was named a national finalist in the 2011 Norman Mailer Two-Year College Writing Contest for Creative Nonfiction.

Durkee, 39, was named a finalist for his piece "The Spaces We Have Left," an evocative and moving description of the death of the tanning industry in Johnstown, and the pollution, health issues and sense of hopelessness the industry left behind.

The contest is co-sponsored by the Norman Mailer Center and Writers Colony and the National Council of Teachers of English.

Durkee said he was "surprised and humbled" at the announcement that he was a finalist, and praised his English instructors at SUNY Adirondack for inspiring him and giving him the confidence to write.

“The teaching staff here at SUNY Adirondack is incredible,” Durkee said. “I didn’t consider myself a writer, and was not that confident as a writer, until I came here.”

Durkee was selected as one of five finalists in the Two-Year College category out of 91 submissions.

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Friday, November 18, 2011

EDUCATION

17

Augustine Classical Academy Provides Alternative to Contemporary Education Model

by Daniel Schechtman Saratoga TODAY MECHANICVILLE - Ask the students at Augustine Classical Academy in Mechanicville what their favorite regular lesson of the day is, said Headmaster Matthew Hopkins, and the response you're likely to hear from the class is "bull riding." No, these students aren't gearing up for the rodeo - instead, they're learning how to wrestle with ideas and concepts, forming consistent and logical arguments based on a model of learning favored long before the contemporary model of education was introduced into western civilization.

"Bull riding is a rhetorical exercise where we throw out some random statements to the kids," said Hopkins.

Once the student is asked to take a stance based on the statement or question, "the kid is on the bull," said Hopkins. "As soon as he's done talking and he's made some statement about it, his classmates are going to start trying to knock him off [the bull]. They're going to start hitting him with questions trying to get him to be inconsistent. His job is to stay on the bull as long as he can and remain consistent. Either he times out because he's clever at it, or they catch him when he says something that contradicts himself."

At Augustine Classical Academy, no one is trying to reinvent the wheel.

Instead, the school favors a model of education - the classical model, which reverts back to a form of education favored for 1,800 years, one largely popular prior to the reformations of John Dewey (considered the father of contemporary education).

"The thing that is really different [at Augustine Classical Academy] is our approach to the learner," said Hopkins. "We are very committed to the notion of the trivium, which is a classical understanding that students develop through three distinct cognitive phases: grammar, dialectic and rhetoric."

The first phase, grammar, is introduced to students in what is typically considered their elementary years.

Here, students are taught the absolute fundamentals, focusing on knowledge, content, data and ultimately literacy.

"Children at a younger age have a tremendous capacity to absorb data.

Walk up to a 6-year-old boy and ask him how many dinosaur names he knows and he'll start and he won't

stop for a long time. Our thinking is this isn't just true for dinosaurs and language, it's true everywhere."

The idea, explained Hopkins, is to give young students the basic tools and facts needed to simply communicate, and to teach these concepts to them at a period when their minds are best equipped to absorb the data.

Once the basics have been established, the students are then equipped to move along to the dialectic phase.

"Dialectic literally means a conversation between two sides. A wrestling of ideas," said Hopkins. "And in middle school, that's where that starts to happen. The students start to ask, why, why, why?"

In the dialectic phase, students begin formal logic classes (something most students will never encounter, even at the collegiate level), playing out different ideas to their conclusions and discovering the consequences of these ideas.

"They take the ideas, boil them down and do the math on every one of the arguments," explained Hopkins.

Finally, the students are introduced to the rhetoric phase, where students build upon the first two phases and begin to express themselves, to synthesize their own ideas.

"The beginning is essentially literacy, the second emphasis is understanding, and the final emphasis is on expression, synthesis and creation," said Hopkins.

It's a system of learning which Augustine Classical Academy extends out through every subject matter and course they teach, attempting to develop a growing mind based on a model that Hopkins believes, "teaches to the grain of the student, and not against it."

Augustine Classical Academy is a Christian academy, although there is no single denomination or dogmatic association. In some ways, identifying themselves as a Christian academy is a response to the contemporary education model which claims neutrality - something Hopkins believes simply doesn't exist.

"We want to be intellectually honest," said Hopkins, "to identify our own worldview." In essence, the school lets its students know the filter through which the information is reaching them, allowing them to decide for themselves how to interpret the data once armed with this understanding.

"We're not looking for dogmatic or

doctrinal consistency. We just want to raise up a bunch of kids who know how to think, can articulate what they think and are okay with not agreeing with everybody all the time."

Along with courses such as math, science, literature and biblical studies, Augustine Classical Academy also puts a strong emphasis on the arts.

"That includes drama, studio art, instrumental instruction and choir.

Everybody does all of those things during school hours - none of those are options," said Hopkins. "We're absolutely convinced in their value, and we love the culture it creates in the school. And," he added, "a little bit of Shakespeare in life is great."

The Augustine Classical Academy is not certified by the Board of Regents - students will not receive a Regents diploma from the school but Hopkins indicates that in this era, colleges are becoming less and less concerned about such technicalities.

"All the feedback we're getting from the few seniors that will graduate this spring (and feedback from other schools) is that it's really immaterial," said Hopkins. Colleges are recognizing the diplomas for what they are worth, and students are finding their way in to top-ranked schools without a certified Regents Diploma.

To learn more about the school, please visit their website at www.augustineca.org, or call (518) 541-2089 to schedule a visit.

photos by Robert Ewell Photography

Students at Augustine Classical Academy begin their educational development with grammar. This first cognitive phase is later followed by the dialectic and the rhetorical phases.

18

PETS

THE ROAD TRIP, PART II (From a Lab’s Perspective)

Jill Sweet Whiskers and Tales Last week Jill let me tell you about our two-week road trip, but I ran out of space before I got to describe what I considered the best parts of the trip—the dog parks and my encounter with a six-point buck.

Saratoga Springs is said to be a very dog-friendly town, and in many ways it is, but there are no real dog parks. Yes, I know about the area over by Crescent Street and Route 9,

but because it is not fenced, Jill doesn’t think it is safe so she won’t take me there. Nevertheless, she loves the idea of a safe dog park so on the trip we visited two and boy was it fun.

The first one we went to was in Fallston, Maryland. It took us several hours to get there and by the time we found it, it was closed! I was really disappointed but Jill said we would stay in a motel nearby and come back in the morning. So the next morning we returned to Rebel’s Dog Park. It was fenced with a double-gated entry, benches, shade, water and a separate area for small dogs. It was early so there were only two other dogs for me to run with, but they were both fun. One was a female German Shepherd and the other was a male Blue Tick Hound. With my leash off I could run and run at top speed. We

SARATOGA

Friday, November 18, 2011 only stopped to play tug of war with an old torn basketball or to gulp down some water. While we played, Jill and Steve talked with the two other handlers. Once or twice they would call to us dogs if we were getting too carried away, but that only happened a couple of times. After about an hour and a half, I was ready to drop and Jill and Steve were ready to move on.

The second dog park we visited was in northern Kentucky. This one was named the Kenton County Kentucky Paw Park. It was just outside of Covington, situated by a beautiful creek, trees and grassy picnic area. The Paw Park was larger than the Rebel’s Park, but it still was fenced with a double-gated entry. We arrived in the mid-afternoon and there were lots of dogs. Again there was a separate area for small dogs and one for big dogs. The big dog area was about two acres in size and at one point there were 25 big dogs all running and playing. As some dogs left others came and there was always a greeting ritual when a new dog entered. The handlers sat on benches or stood watching as the dogs formed and reformed groups for games of chase. There was one small terrier type dog that by size should have been with the smaller dogs, but he could run so fast it made all us big dogs look clumsy and slow. Even dogs with big strides couldn’t keep up with this terrier that ran circles

around all of us. There was plenty of fresh water and doggie poop bags for handlers to clean up after their dogs.

I slept great that night. As I was drifting off, I thought about the dog parks and how much fun I had running free off my leash. I also thought about what Jill said it would take to get a safe fenced dog park established in Saratoga. If you have any suggestions for her, send her your thoughts about dog parks and establishing a fenced and double gated one in Saratoga Springs. Jill’s email address is jsweet@skidmore.edu.

These dog parks were a blast, but for me the most exciting moment of the entire trip occurred on the second to last night before we arrived home.

We were staying in a motel in Pickerington, Ohio. After Jill fed me my dinner, she took me behind the place so I could “do my business.”

After she cleaned it up, as she always does with a doggy poop bag, we noticed a swamp beyond the parking

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lot with a sign that read, “Do not feed the wildlife.” I wanted to get into the swamp for a dip, but it was dusk and Jill was ready to call it a day so we went back to the room.

Later that night after Jill fell asleep, Steve took me out one last time. I was sniffing for the perfect spot to relieve myself, when I looked up and saw him. He was a six-point buck about 20 yards away from me. He made a coughing, grunting noise and there was a doe behind him. They both stared at us. I froze in my tracks.

I didn’t know what to do, but every nerve in my body was tense and ready for action. I was so excited I quivered all over. After what seemed like five minutes, but was probably a few seconds, the buck and doe turned and vanished into the dark. This was the first buck I have ever seen. It wasn’t a horse or a dog, but it was something else entirely. I’ll never forget his majesty, his smell, his grunt, and the steam coming from his nostrils.

Animals Available

at the Saratoga County Animal Shelter for adoption.

For More Information Call (518) 885-4113.

Pit bulls get a lot of bad publicity, which causes the general public to shy away from the breed- seeing them as aggressive and an undesirable breed to own. Owners of pit bulls will paint a different picture, labeling the breed as intelligent, loyal and fun-loving.

As with any breed of dog, pit bulls have their pros and cons and thorough research should be done before deciding to add one to your home, but please remember that not ALL pit bulls are bad. Pit bulls with caring environments and proper training can be a wonderful addition to any home.

Here are some local pit bulls who could be a good fit in your home:

FELICITY Please help Felicity find a loving home.

She has been at the shelter for six months and really needs someone to love her. She is a 1-year-old pit bull mix who is fun-loving and beautiful.

TIFFANY The lovely Tiffany has been at the shelter since June and hopes to find a caring home in time for the holidays. She is an adult pit bull mix who would make a great Christmas present for any dog lover.

SARATOGA

TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

PUZZLES PUZZLES PUZZLES

Sudoku

Crossword

See puzzle solution on page 28

Scrabblegram

See puzzle solution on page 28

Movie Review Real Steel

ACROSS 1 Revolution for Caesar?

6 Run together 10 Midnight snack 14 “The Family Man” actress 15 Mystical letter 16 Home furnishings acronym 17 Success symbol 18 Alarm clock toggle 19 Shout to a line 20 Movie about a wacky submarine crew?

23 Give out in portions 24 Set-to 25 Quarterdeck?

28 Set the stage for 32 Carpooler’s __ lane 33 Feeling when surrounded by taxis?

36 Largest of a septet 38 Tote 39 Certain surgeon’s concern 40 Prince’s request to the Pauper?

45 In addition 46 Level of importance 47 Harper Lee recluse Boo __ 49 Chicago city council mem.

50 Prepare eggs, in a way 52 Random criticisms from the Musketeers?

57 Thick-bodied fish 58 Stir up 59 Birthstones for some Scorpios 61 Farm housing 62 Letters from Hera 63 Cap 64 Like the ocean around SEALAB 65 Run like a rabbit 66 Green Goblin, to Spider-Man

In a world of cage matches and underground brawling, boxing seems sadly tame by comparison. And with ever-increasing technological advances, robot death-matches may be a coming attraction destined for a venue near you. Though probably not in the not-tooDOWN distant future depicted in this Hugh Jackman science-fiction movie.

1 In the vein of It’s 2020 and Charlie Kenton (Jackman) is a boxer whose days 2 Pond denizen in the ring are long-behind him thanks to the emergence of robot 3 Role in the musical “Two By Two” boxing. He now controls other fighters (robots) from the sidelines.

4 Like fliers on the windshield, usually Unfortunately, he’s had a long run of bad luck and is in serious debt. He’s then hit with the news that the son he never sees was Broom Hilda recently orphaned when his mother, and Charlie’s former girlfriend, died. At the custody hearing he sees Max (played

by Dakota Goyo), Max’s wealthy aunt Debra (played by Hope Davis) and her husband, Marvin (played by James Rebhorn). Marvin (Rebhorn) tells Charlie that while they want custody and know that he doesn’t, they have plans for the summer and they are willing to pay a six-figure sum if Charlie will care for Max until they return. And at that time he’ll relinquish all claims to Max. Soon, Max and Charlie find a robot to replace the one lost in Charlie’s most recent bout and embark on the process of training it and repaying Charlie’s debts.

I wasn’t expecting much from this film given the premise and the fact that some of Jackman’s previous films (the X-MEN series and Wolverine follow-up) left me disappointed. I was surprised and very pleased to see this film outshine those in execution and conclusion. Jackman’s role isn’t all that different from previous ones, but the tone and supporting characters make for an extremely enjoyable two hours and seven minutes. (7.5/10)

At The Movies With Trey Roohan

Gasoline Alley

19 "Aspire to decency. Practice civility toward one another.

Admire and emulate ethical behavior wherever you find it. Apply a rigid standard of morality to your lives; and if, periodically you fail – as you surely will – adjust your lives, not the standards."

Ted Koppel

Words to know:

edify: v. To instruct or enlighten so as to encourage intellectual, moral or spiritual improvement.

See puzzle solutions on page28

5 Place to start for a young music student 6 “Well played!”

7 “12 Angry Men” director 8 Offensive to some, briefly 9 “Why’d I do that?” feeling 10 Trendy retailer named for its original 57th Street address 11 Gave the nod 12 Tantalizing, in a way 13 Magician’s prop 21 Iconic Ingrid role 22 Mineralogist with a scale 25 Fiona of “Harry Potter” films et al.

26 Put forth 27 Walled Spanish city 28 Desire 29 Bumpkin 30 Goddess of peace 31 Down-and-out

Animal Crackers

34 Down 35 Pint seller 37 Bible bearer, often 41 Winter season 42 Put in place 43 Pictures taken in a hosp.

44 Football helmet feature 48 Unexpected visitor ... and a hint to 20-, 33-, 40- and 52-Across 50 Like some panels 51 Earthshaking ’50s event 52 Slender 53 Clumsy ship 54 Edible pocket 55 Get under control 56 Unlikely 57 TV drama set in Vegas 60 Wilbur’s whereabouts, in “Charlotte’s Web”

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Friday, November 18, 2011

20

upcoming town meetings Town of Ballston: Ballston Town Hall 323 Charlton Road 885-8502 www.townofballstonny.org Village of Ballston Spa: 66 Front Street 885-5711 www.ballstonspany.org 11/23: Zoning Board of Appeals, 7:30 p.m.

Town of Greenfield: 7 Wilton Road 893-7432 www.townofgreenfield.com Town of Malta: 2540 Route 9 899-2818 www.malta-town.org 11/22: Planning Board, 6:30 p.m.

Town of Milton: 503 Geyser Road 885-9220 www.townofmiltonny.org 11/24: Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.

City of Saratoga Springs: 474 Broadway 587-3550 www.saratoga-springs.org 11/21: Planning Board workshop, 5 p.m.

11/21: Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.

11/23: Planning Board, 7 p.m.

Town of Saratoga: 12 Spring Street, Schuylerville 695-3644 www.townofsaratoga.com Village of Schuylerville: 35 Spring Street 695-3881 www.villageofschuylerville.org 11/21: Planning Board, 6:30 p.m.

Town of Stillwater: 66 East St., Riverside Mechanicville, NY 12118 www.stillwaterny.org 11/21: Planning Board, 7 p.m.

Town of Wilton: 22 Traver Road 587-1939 www.townofwilton.com 11/24: Zoning Board, 7 p.m.

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors: 40 McMaster St., # 1 Ballston Spa, NY 12020-1985 (518) 885-2240 www.saratogacountyny.gov 11/18: Budget workshop, 3 p.m.

local briefs Saratoga Springs Public Library Saratoga Room New Hours 49 Henry St., Saratoga Springs The library’s Saratoga Room has new hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 5-9 p.m..; or by appointment, (518) 584-7860 ext. 255.

Waldorf School Welcome 62 York Ave., Saratoga Springs On Wednesday, December 7, from 8:15-9 a.m., come and learn more about how Waldorf works and how it will enrich your child's life. Join us for a brief overview of Waldorf education followed by a visit to our classrooms. Please RSVP at admissions@waldorfsaratoga.org or (518) 587-2224.

Low-Income Christmas Sale Old Stone Church, 159 Stone Church Rd., Ballston Spa Come to the Low-Income Sale Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Santa, Mrs. Claus and an elf will be there to help with your purchases. Enjoy punch and cookies while you shop. For more information, call Ann at (518) 885-4034.

St. Clement’s Annual Christmas Tree and Wreath Sale 231 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs Saturday, November 26 through December 18, fresh cut balsam fir trees and wreaths from Vermont will be sold on the school's front lawn from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, and from 5:30 – 8 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays. Trees are $45 each and wreaths are $2430.All funds raised go directly to St. Clement’s School.

The Old Saratoga Seniors Annual Christmas Party Longfellows, 500 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs Join the Old Saratoga Seniors for their Christmas party, Wednesday, December 14, at noon.

Questions may be directed to Dot Leone: (518) 695-3578. The Old Saratoga Seniors will not meet on December 7; the Christmas party is their only gathering in December.

winter clothing to local needy children through their annual Christmas Giving Store. Last year, nearly 400 children were served, and donations are needed to make this year even more successful. For more information on how to donate, call (518) 587-5000.

Ballston Spa National Bank (BSNB) Donation Drive

exhibition, featuring quilts in the museum's collection, will open on Friday, December 2 at 6 p.m. The exhibit will be up through January 2013. For more information, please visit www.brooksidemuseum.org or call (518) 885-4000.

neighbors in need.

Visit www.afterthefire.org for more information. Call (518) 435-4571 in case of a change in meeting date or location.

Franklin Community Center Needs YOUR help this Holiday!

Woodlawn Commons, Saratoga Springs The support group will meet on Monday, November 21, at 2 p.m.

This meeting is open to anyone with Parkinson's Disease, family members and friends. For more information, call Joyce Garlock at (518) 885-6427.

Throughout the month of November, the bank will collect non-perishable food and personal care donations to support nine area food pantries. Donations may be made at any of the bank’s 10 branches in Saratoga County. In addition to the items collected in the branches, BSNB will provide $2,000 of monetary support in recognition of the growing need for services. Offices are located in Ballston Spa, Milton, Galway, Stillwater, Burnt Hills, Clifton Park, Malta, Greenfield Center and Wilton.

Gift cards and non-perishable items, as well as Christmas gifts, in-season clothing and family sponsorships are needed to help local families. Clothing donations can be dropped off at 101 Washington St., on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Food and Christmas gifts can be dropped off MondayFriday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at 10 Franklin St. Please call (518) 5879826 for more information or if you are interested in adopting a family.

LARAC Annual Holiday Shop

1 Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs Wilton BPO Elks Lodge 161 will conduct their annual memorial service on Sunday, December 4, beginning promptly at 1 p.m. The service is held nationwide at all Elk lodges on the first Sunday of December. It honors the memory and community service of each departed Elk of the SaratogaWilton Lodge. The event is open to all members, families and the general public is welcome. A light reception hosted by the Elks Ladies Auxiliary will immediately follow at the lodge. For more information, contact chairman Mark Phillips at (518) 584-7464.

Lapham Gallery, Downtown Glens Falls Previewing Friday, November 18 from 5-7 p.m., and running through December 24, the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council’s (LARAC) Lapham Gallery transforms into a festive gift shop offering shoppers original handcrafted items. Regular hours are Tuesdays-Saturdays 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in November, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in December. For more information, call (518) 798-1144, ext. 2, or visit www.larac.org.

Make-A-Wish Foundation Seeks Volunteers for Campaign The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeastern New York needs volunteers to assist with the chapter’s 19th annual Adopt An Angel campaign. Adopt An Angel features the stories of the foundation’s children and their wishes on a paper ornament angel. The angels are $3 at area malls and all branches of First Niagara Bank.

Volunteers are needed to help at donation collection booths at Aviation Mall, Colonie Center, Crossgates Mall, Rotterdam Square and Wilton Mall. The days and shifts vary, depending on the mall location. To volunteer, contact Cindy Conley at (518) 7824673 or cconley@neny.wish.org.

Ladies of Charity’s Annual Christmas Giving Store Call for Donations

The Threads of Time Quilt Exhibition

142 Regent St., Saratoga Springs Each year, the Ladies of Charity distribute toys, books, games and

6 Charlton St., Ballston Spa The Saratoga County Historical Society’s “The Threads of Time”

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Annual Memorial for Deceased Brother Elks

Saratoga County Fairgrounds’ New Bleacher Covers Thanks to a donation of nearly $4,000 in building materials from Curtis Lumber, the Saratoga County Fair was able to construct new roofs over the bleacher area adjacent to the horse riding arena on the fairgrounds. These roofs replace temporary tent-style coverings, and will protect spectators from both rain and sun for years to come. The 2012 fair dates are July 17-22 and discount admission tickets are available now online at www.saratogacountyfair.org.

After The Fire's Monthly Meeting Halfmoon Town Hall, Harris Rd., Halfmoon On November 22, at 7 p.m., After The Fire will hold its monthly meeting. New members are always needed and are welcome to attend to find out how to help their

Parkinson's Support Group of Saratoga Meeting

22nd Annual Christmas Fair Registration The King’s School, 6087 New York 9N, Hadley The King's School has opened vendor registration for their 22nd annual Christmas Fair to be held on Saturday, December 3, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Spaces are available to vendors of handcrafted items interested in participating in this highly successful seasonal event! The price for each 8'x8' space is $50 and includes an onsite lunch voucher. Area assignments are given on a first pay basis. Please call The King's School at (518) 654-6230 or register online at www.kingsschool.info.

State-Approved Defensive Driving Class Reformed Church, 48 Pearl St., Schuylerville Saturday, November 19, from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Cost is $30 and pre-registration is required.

Call Nick Nichols at (518) 6953548 to register or for more information.

Appraisal Benefit a Real Treasure Saratoga’s Universal Preservation Hall and North Peak Auctions held an antique appraisal benefit, featuring expert antique appraiser Douglas Stinson of Boston, Mass, on November 5. For a $25 donation, attendees brought their interesting, unique and certainly appraisal-worthy items for Stinson’s review. Some individuals left excited about their newlyfound valuables and others disappointed that their heirlooms were merely sentimental treasures. All proceeds benefitted the Universal Preservation Hall. If you were unable to attend the event and are interested in receiving a personal property appraisal, contact North Peak at (518) 683-5922.

Send your local briefs to Christina James at cjames@saratogapublishing.com before Monday at 5 p.m. for Friday publication

SARATOGA

TODAY

CALENDAR

Friday, November 18, 2011

living

section of religion and politics. $12 general admission, $8 Skidmore community.

nov.

Saturday, November 19

18 - nov.

23 events Friday, November 18 Free Organ Concert Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church. 175 5th Ave., Saratoga Springs Virtuoso organist Isabelle Demers will perform a musical program at 7:30 p.m. There is no admission charge for the event, but donations are encouraged.

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser Clifton Park Elks Lodge, MacElroy Rd, Ballston Lake From 6-8:30 p.m., come and support 3-year-old Lilliana who was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma Cancer. $10 per person, $5 children under 10.

Next Summer's Grand Opening on Broadway 516 Broadway, Saratoga Springs From 6-8 p.m. join Next Summer in celebrating their grand opening with refreshments and shopping and receive 10 percent off on all your supplies for a good life! Free admission.

All-You-Can-Eat Dinner 13 Oak St., Saratoga Springs The Principessa Elena Society will have its monthly fundraising allyou-can-eat dinner from 5-7 p.m.

Seniors $8, adults $9, children 5-12 $5 and takeouts $10. For information, call (518) 584-4163.

Sarah Ruhl's “Passion Play” Skidmore College, Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7:30-10:30 p.m., come experience a play that is a bold, funny and poignant expression of the inter-

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park Programs 80 Scout Rd., Gansevoort From 10-11 a.m., enjoy a beautiful mile-long forest walk, starting at the Fox Parcel, and discuss the different pine and oak species and how they have adapted to various landscapes. A second program will take place from 1-2 p.m. at the Camp Saratoga North Trail. Kids will collect samples from nature to make their own version of a turkey for Thanksgiving. This program is for children of all ages. For more information or to register, call (518) 450-0321.

SIS Holiday Bazaar Saratoga Independent School, 459 Lake Ave, Saratoga Springs From 10 a.m.-3 p.m., join SIS for a fun-filled shopping experience and shop local vendors! Win great door prizes and add some fun to your holiday shopping.

Fall Baby Festival Saratoga Springs Public Library, 49 Henry St. Come and experience services for new and expectant parents from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Door prizes, free raffles and everyone receives a goodie bag. Free admission.

Saratoga Winery Anniversary Open House!

Saratoga Winery, 462 Rte 29W, Saratoga Springs From 6-9 p.m., celebrate at the anniversary open house. Sip wine while you shop for the holidays in the new gift shop! Sample great local products for free and enjoy wine and chocolate pairings while you make your own wine glass charms!

Heritage Hunters Meeting and Book Discussion Saratoga Town Hall, Rt. 4, Schuylerville Heritage Hunters of Saratoga County will meet at 1 p.m. Meeting is free and open to the public. For information, call (518) 587-2978.

Veterans Tribute Diamond Dance Saratoga Music Hall, 474 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

From 7:30-11:30 p.m. enjoy the Northeast’s largest monthly swing dance featuring a special tribute to veterans. Admission is $15.

Zumba, Yoga and Energy Fundraiser for ShelterBox National Museum of Dance, Swyer Studios, 99 S. Broadway, Saratoga Springs From 2-4 p.m., join ShelterBox and the National Museum of Dance’s School of the Arts to have some fun and contribute to a good cause! Fun classes will be held in addition to a silent auction. The suggested donation for this event is $20 with proceeds benefiting ShelterBox, the largest international aid organization that provides shelter and life-saving equipment to people displaced by natural disasters.

Saturday & Sunday Adirondack Sports & Fitness Winter Expo City Center, 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs On Saturday, November 19, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and on Sunday, November 20, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., browse some of the area’s finest sports and fitness retailers. Admission is $5 for adults, 18 and under are free. For more information, call (518) 877-8788.

Sunday, November 20 Annual Holiday Parade Parade begins at the south end of the village, in front of Carriage Traders and heads north on Route 9 through South Glens Falls.

Saratoga County’s largest annual parade begins at 1 p.m. and features bands, floats and civic groups from throughout the region, and even a visit by Santa and live reindeer. Spectators are asked to make donations of new, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items for Toys for Tots and the Tri-County United Way “Live United” program.

This week, people may also drop off toys and non-perishable food items at any Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Co. branch office.

with ID, $6; children 5-12, $5; and under 5 eat free. Takeout $8.

The Shirt Factory's 10th Holiday Open House

Rotary Club Monthly Breakfast

Lawrence and Cooper Streets, Glens Falls The Shirt Factory Artist's Association is hosting its 10th Holiday Open House, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 25, 26 and 27 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.

Visit the studios, shops, galleries, and over 30 guest artists exhibiting their work throughout the building. For directions or more information, visit the website www.shirtfactorygf.com.

Senior Citizen’s Center, 5 Williams St., Saratoga Springs All-you-can-eat breakfast served from 8:30-11 a.m. Adults, $6; seniors, veterans and children 5-12, $5; and under 5 eat free.

SPAC's Annual Nutcracker Tea Hall of Springs Restaurant, 108 Ave. of the Pines Come enjoy the “Nutcracker,” performed by the Northeast Ballet Company, and along with food and drinks, a raffle, and dancers interacting with the children Cost is $40 for adults, $15 for children.

The Endzone Vapor at Saratoga Casino and Raceway Watch the action at noon on over 20 TVs, plus the featured games of the week on the giant 16-ft screen!

Enjoy food and drink specials. Free admission,

Monday, November 21 Trout Unlimited Monthly Meeting Series Saratoga Springs Public Library, 49 Henry St. The Trout Unlimited’s monthly meeting starts at 7 p.m. and is open to all supporters and enthusiasts of cold water fisheries. There will be an informative photo presentation and officers will be elected. For more information, call (518) 893-2228.

Thursday, November 24 Happy Thanksgiving!

Saratoga Turkey Trot City Hall, Saratoga Springs Don't miss the Annual Turkey Trot 5K run / walk on Thanksgiving morning in Saratoga Springs to benefit The Christopher Dailey Foundation. Cost is $25.

Elks’ Breakfast Buffet 1 Elks Lane, Route 9, Saratoga Springs Let the Saratoga-Wilton Elks serve you a buffet breakfast from 8:30-11 a.m. Adults, $7; seniors/military

21

Friday, November 25

Send your calendar items to Christina James at cjames@saratogapublishing.com before 5 p.m. on Monday for Friday publication.

Upcoming Schuylerville United Methodist Church Craft Fair American Legion Post 278, Clancy St., Schuylerville On Saturday, November 26, there will be beautiful crafts, baked goods and a silent auction. The fair runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with lunch from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

DanceFlurry Saratoga Contradance First Baptist Church, 45 Washington St., Saratoga Springs On Saturday, November 26, Contras, squares and couples dances from 8-11 p.m. All dances are taught and newcomers are welcome. Adults $10, students $7, children under 15 $6. For more information, call (518) 885-4430 or visit www.danceflurry.org.

Saratoga Center for the Family Annual Craft Fair City Center, 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs On Saturday, November 26, shop the best local crafters from 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. Admission is $2. For more information, visit www.saratogacraft.org.

Old-Fashioned Sunday Free Spirit Fellowship Church, 1425 W. High St., Ballston Spa On November 27 FSF is hosting an Old-Fashioned Sunday. Celebrate Pentecostal heritage through music and costume. For more details, call (518) 885-3149 or visit webwww.freespiritfellowship.com.

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SARATOGA

PULSE

Friday, November 18, 2011

What’s ‘Brew’ing at Putnam Den this Weekend?

Photo Provided “The Brew” SARATOGA SPRINGS – The members of indie pop/rock group The Brew have always shared a common vision: to transform their urgent and unapologetically artistic musings into song.

Starting as childhood friends from Boston, now in their mid-20s, they have traveled widely, singing of romance and tragedy with their haunting and original voices.

The Brew will be joined by Sidetrack Charlie at Putnam Den, 63A Putnam Street, Saratoga Springs, for a show on Friday, November 18, at 9 p.m. This 18+ show has a $5 admission charge.

For more information, phone (518) 584-8066.

Local Gigs

TODAY

Send listings to entertainment@saratogapublishing.com

SARATOGA

TODAY

PULSE

Friday, November 18, 2011

Film Forum: Tasty Menu on Tap this Weekend SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Saratoga Film Forum will host a special program this weekend.

Their third annual Farms and Food Film Festival continues this weekend with eclectic offerings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday that speak to the issues of locally-grown food. The films they are airing may take place in regions outside our own, but are supplemented with panel discussions, musical performances, appetizer and dessert samplings and drawings for certificates – all from local practitioners in order to bring the screenings back to focusing on the very real closeto-home issues they raise.

Like any wide-ranging tasting menu, each day’s program is unique in its composition and structure. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.saratogafilmforum.org. The weekend programming includes:

23

MaryLeigh & the Fauves to Celebrate CD Release at Two Local Events

- Urban Roots Friday, November 18, 7:30 p.m.

Saratoga Arts Center 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs Tickets: $10, $8 for Film Forum members and $5 students Urban Roots profiles Detroit’s emerging downtown farm movement. Due the collapse of domestic automotive manufacturing, Detroit now boasts the most vacant lots in the country. The film profiles natives who are converting those lots to farms in the hope of reinvigorating their city, and to offer a solution for a nation coming to terms with the post-industrial era.

After the screening, Abby Lublin, the founder of Collard City Growers in Troy, SUNY Albany law professor and associate dean Patricia Salkin and other urban garden activists will conduct a panel discussion about what is going on with urban farming in the Capital Region.

- The Grapes of Wrath Saturday, November 19, 7 p.m.

Spring Street Gallery 110 Spring Street, Saratoga Springs Admission: Free, limited to the first 30 people John Ford's classic film, based on John Steinbeck's novel, follows the Joad family on their arduous trek from Dustbowl-era Oklahoma to the "promised land" of California, as they seek work and opportunity during the Great Depression.

“Low & Lonesome,” a duo comprised of Phil Drum and Rob Adkins, will play Depression-era songs before the screening.

- The Greenhorns Sunday, November 20, 3 p.m.

Saratoga Arts Center, 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs Tickets: $20 Armed with a camcorder, farmer/filmmaker/activist Severine von Tscharner Fleming spent two years crisscrossing America, meeting and mobilizing a network of revolutionary young farmers. The Greenhorns is an ode to their grit and entrepreneurial spirit, an exploration of sustainable agriculture, and an enticement to reclaim our national soil.

Sunday's screening is also a special food event, showcasing local chefs, farmers and well-regarded local restaurants and food purveyors, including: Beekman Street Bistro, Bread Basket, Fifty South, One Caroline and Putnam Market.

Before the film, enjoy hors d'oeuvres prepared and donated by these local chefs using farm-fresh ingredients. There will be drawings for farm produce and cookbooks. Following the screening, sample the chefs’ homemade desserts, and participate in a panel discussion on the state of local farming with Cara Fraver and Luke Deikis from Quincy Farm in Easton, Michael Kilpatrick from Kilpatrick Family Farm in Granville and Teri Ptacek, executive director of the Agricultural Stewardship Association in Greenwich.

Photo Provided MaryLeigh & the Fauves

SARATOGA SPRINGS MaryLeigh & the Fauves, an eclectic group of local musicians that was first runner-up in SPAC’s 2011 Battle of the Bands, will have two upcoming events to showcase the release of their debut CD entitled “The Docks.”

The album features nine original songs written by lead singer MaryLeigh Roohan. The group also includes Zach Edwards (drums), Dave Farnsworth (bass) and Heather Bisch (trombone, ukulele). The new CD will be available at these events: On Saturday, November 19, at 8 p.m., the band will be performing at the Saratoga Arts Center, 320

Broadway, Saratoga Springs. This venue is ideal for fans of all ages, and the event will offer complimentary food, wine and soft drinks.

Preceding MaryLeigh & the Fauves will be performances by Olivia Quillio and Meagan Duffy.

Tickets are $8 for adults; children 12 and younger are free. At this event only a bonus EP with three new original songs will be included with each CD purchase.

- On Wednesday, November 23, the Fauves will host a Thanksgiving Eve party at Putnam Den, 63A Putnam Street, Saratoga Springs. Headband Jack will open the evening at 9 p.m. Admission is $5, and CDs will be available for purchase.

For more information, contact MaryLeigh Roohan at (518) 7885305, or visit www.maryleigh music.com.

24

SARATOGA

PULSE

Friday, November 18, 2011

TODAY

Saratoga Springs Woman Unveils Husband’s Historic Photography Collection - Over 9,000 Images can be seen for the First Time SARATOGA SPRINGS Christine Grabitzky of Saratoga Springs has released a large and stunning collection of cultural photographs taken by her husband, Dieter F. Grabitzky, who passed away in 1993 after a long battle with cancer. Dieter had worked in the photography industry in various capacities, yet throughout his life he regarded his own photography modestly and seldom shared it.

Mr. Grabitzky’s body of work consists of over 9,000 images capturing his love of travel and an appreciation for different cultures and ethnicities. From 1955-65, Dieter traveled to South America, Mexico and Europe to capture ancient sites, landscapes and the lives of indigenous peoples.

It wasn’t until recently that his wife Christine and her son Charles decided to reveal the photos. “His work was never exposed to the public. It was always waiting to be discovered, like a hidden gem,” she said.

Thanks to innovations in digital scanning and restoration, Dieter’s

work has come to life. Christine created www.DFGphoto.com to showcase Mr. Grabitzky’s incredible black and white photography and offer high-quality prints for sale.

Christine said that she hopes that when viewing the photos, people will get “…an appreciation for a style of photography that no longer exists. We are exposing a rare art form.” She also hopes that Dieter’s unique photography will be shown by museums and galleries as well as in historical associations where people can share his lifelong passion.

To view images from Dieter

F. Grabitzky’s photography collection and to purchase prints, visit www.DFGphoto.com, or email grabitzky@aol.com.

Images Provided Photographs by Dieter F. Grabitzky include images from Machu Picchu, Peru, in 1959 and other exotic locales.

SARATOGA

TODAY

Friday, November 18, 2011

PULSE Commander Cody makes Rare Hometown Appearance

SARATOGA SPRINGS - On Friday, December 2, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation will celebrate the city's unique architecture with a tour of festively decorated buildings and homes on Saratoga’s Eastside. The 22nd Candlelight House Tour begins at 5:30 and continues until 9 p.m. A gala reception follows the tour, from 7:30 - 11 p.m.

Tickets for the tour and reception are $75 for foundation members, $85 general public. Touronly tickets are available at $40 for foundation members, $50 general public. While tickets can be purchased on the night of the event at 173 Phila Street, it is expected that the tour/reception tickImages Provided ets will be limited. Therefore, it is advised to order these tickets well in advance. To purchase tickWinter, An original pastel

by Corey ets, call (518) 587-5030 or email sboivin@saratogapreservation.org.

Pitkin, is an Auction Item at the The tour will include eight homes in the historic Fifth Avenue and Phila Street neighborhoods on Saratoga’s Eastside, and also will include a special tour stop at the 112 Spring Street building, where 2011 Candlelight House Tour's the Adirondack Pastel Society is holding a gallery opening for their show, “History Preserved,” in Gala Reception the School 4 Art Gallery. This show features architecture and historical elements in Saratoga Springs and the surrounding area. Tour-goers will have the opportunity to mingle with the artists and enjoy light refreshments provided by Mama Mia’s restaurant.

A special feature of the tour is the “Peppermint Pig Hunt.” By spotting the candy pig in each home you will be entered to win a gift basket from Saratoga Sweets.

The gala reception and silent auction will be held at the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club, at 301 Church Street. Food and live entertainment will be provided along with a cash bar. This year's auction is packed with great holiday gifts including: a weekend stay at the Mirror Lake Inn, Glimmerglass Opera tickets, park passes to Disney World, box seats at the Saratoga Race Course, a one-week stay at an oceanfront beach house and an original work of art (pictured) by artist Corey Pitkin.

The funds that are raised from the Candlelight House Tour support the foundation’s ongoing educational programs and advocacy efforts to preserve the unique architectural, landscaped and cultural heritage of Saratoga Springs.

For more information about the Candlelight House Tour, visit www.saratogapreservation.org.

Joey Thomas Big Band to Play Veteran's Tribute Dance at Saratoga Music Hall

Photo Provided Joey Thomas Big Band SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Saratoga Music Hall, located above City Hall at 454 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, will host a big band performance by the award-winning Joey Thomas Big Band to honor veterans on Saturday, November 19, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Admission is $15 and includes a dance lesson. Anyone arriving in uniform or with military ID will be admitted for only $12.

“We thought it only fitting to offer a “Veteran's Tribute” dance right after Veterans Day to show appreciation for their sacrifice. The Joey Thomas Big Band is spectacular at recreating a World War II- era feel - I could not think of a better band for this event," says Dave Wolf, event coordinator and owner of the Saratoga SAVOY. The event is part of Saratoga SAVOY’s popular monthly Diamond Dance, the highest-attended big band swing dance series in the Northeast.

"We love to play the Diamond Dance," said band leader Joey Thomas. "You won't find many places with people of all ages dancing to a big band,” referring to the revival of swing dancing and the multi-generational aspect of these dances. Mr. Thomas is also a veteran whose service includes performing before President Kennedy.

For more information, contact the Saratoga SAVOY at (518) 587-5132, or visit www.saratogasavoy.com.

25

Photo Provided

SARATOGA SPRINGS - Formed in 1967, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen's style mixes foot-moving rollicking country music, rockabilly and blues - all on a foundation of boogiewoogie piano.

Commander Cody has long made his residence in Saratoga Springs, yet it is rare for him to play locally. A notable exception is this Saturday, November 19, when the Commander, well, commands the stage at the Parting Glass Pub, 40-42 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs.

Tickets are $16 in advance, $20 at the door and $25 for VIP seating. To purchase advance tickets online, visit http://millis-robbins.blogspot.com/2011/07/nov-19-commander-cody.html. For more information, phone the Parting Glass at (518) 583-1916.

26

Community Corner

Send all your congratulations, hometown announcements, birthday wishes and brag-worthy moments to Christina James at cjames@saratogapublishing.com or to the paper at Saratoga TODAY, 5 Case St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, Attn: Christina James

Adirondack Trust President Inducted Into Hall of Fame

It’s a Girl!

Friday, November 18, 2011

TODAY

the

Tooth fairy club Take a look at this week’s new club members

Daniel

Congratulations to Barbara Piersante and Justin Baker! They had a beautiful baby girl, Autumn Marie Baker, on November 7, 2011. She weighed 7.45 lbs. and was 18.5 inches long. The maternal grandparents are Melody Baldwin and Fred Piersante and the paternal grandparents are Christine Richardson and Kevin Baker.

11-Year-Old Donates 30 Turkeys to Franklin Community Center

Charles V. Wait, president of The Adirondack Trust Company, was featured in a conversation moderated by journalist Michael Veitch, as the Saratoga Springs History Museum continued its annual series focusing on community leaders.

During the November 16 program, Wait was also inducted into the museum’s hall of fame. A lifetime resident of the area, Wait was honored, along with members of his family, for their contributions to the region’s growth and prosperity.

SARATOGA

TJ Tracy, 11, donated nearly $900 worth of turkey gift cards to the Franklin Community Center to help local families in need celebrate Thanksgiving. Last year, TJ donated 14 turkeys with his fundraising efforts, and this year, he was able to beat his goal of doubling last year’s donation by donating 30 turkeys!

Hannah

Deanna

The tooth fairy club is sponsored by:

659 Saratoga Rd. Gansevoort, NY 12831 (518) 226-6010

Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar’s Class of 2014 Scholars Saratoga Sponsor-aScholar, a nonprofit organization that helps academically motivated, economically disadvantaged students graduate from Saratoga Springs High School and succeed in college, recently inducted its 2014 scholars. From left to right: Camarin Ellis, Rebecca Tibbatts, Ashley Conte, Chandler Hickenbottom, Earlena Felder, Karley Robinson, April

Molina, Eric Roth (Not Pictured: Tyra Ruggles, Vincent Zhen). Photo

by Deborah Neary.

Riggi Pumpkin Contest Winners Awarded Family YMCA Memberships

In picture, LtoR: Cilla Bennett, Peg DeStefano, Karen Ricci, Amanda Ricci, Jim Letts and winners of the Pumpkin Weight Contest Madilyn, Nicole and Schuyler Eddy.

On Saturday, November 5, the Riggi family awarded the winners of their annual Halloween contest with family memberships to the Saratoga Regional YMCA. This is the third year that the YMCA and the Riggi family have teamed up to give back to the local community.

SARATOGA

TODAY

CLASSIFIED

Friday, November 18, 2011

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28

SPORTS Community Sports Bulletin Friday, November 18, 2011

TODAY

First Night Saratoga 5K Run

Four Thoroughbreds Take Home Weekly Honors SARATOGA SPRINGS - Four Skidmore College student-athletes were recognized by the Liberty League for their performances during the past week.

Women’s soccer senior goalie Meghan Sleezer was named CoDefensive Performer of the Week after her performance in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Sleezer made nine saves in 110 minutes of action and then turned away all three shots she faced in the shootout to help Skidmore win its first NCAA Tournament game and record her 10th shutout of the season. Sleezer added three more saves in the second round loss to #1 Messiah as the Thoroughbreds’ season came to an end with a 13-7-1 record.

Volleyball senior Kelley Vershbow earned Performer of the Week honors for the fourth consecutive week. Vershbow led Skidmore with 27 kills in a come from behind victory over Rivier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and added another nine kills in the second round loss to Middlebury. Volleyball concluded its season with a 28-9 record after earning the team’s first Liberty League title since 2000 and seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Senior diver Doug Pilawa earned Diver of the Week honors for the fourth consecutive week. Pilawa remained unbeaten on the season, winning the 1-meter and 3-meter dives in Saturday’s home meet against Division II St. Rose. Pilawa has now been named Diver of the Week every week this season.

Junior diver Kristen Stearns (Torrington, Conn.) was named Diver of the Week for the third time this season. Stearns won both the 1meter and 3-meter dives against St. Rose and set a new school record in the 1-meter with a six-dive score of 235.30. Men’s and women’s swimming and diving are at Utica Saturday, November 19 at 1 p.m.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The 14th annual First Night Saratoga 5K Run, presented by the Saratoga Arts, will be held Saturday, December 31 at 5:30 p.m. The run is limited to the first 1,500 registrants. There is no day of race registration. The race has sold out for the past 10 years. A chip computerized scoring system will be used.

The USA Track and Field certified course starts and finishes on the Skidmore College Campus. Awards will be given to the top three overall male and female finishers as well as the top three male and female finishers in five-year age categories. All finishers will receive a First Night commemorative medal.

Register by November 25 for the early registration fee of $20 and a guaranteed long-sleeved shirt. After November 25, registration is $30.

There will be refreshments provided following the race.

Showers and restrooms will be available for use in the athletic complex.

Save time by registering online, or download an application and map at www.saratoga-arts.org. There is no additional fee for registering online.

For further information, contact Saratoga Arts at (518) 584-4132 x 207.

JMJC Preps Spartans for Wrestling Season GLENVILLE - Four-time Olympian, Olympic Silver Medalist, 2008 Olympic Head Coach and Burnt Hills Graduate, Jason Morris, hosted a clinic for the Burnt Hills wrestling program at his facility, the Jason Morris Judo Center (JMJC) in Glenville, late last month. This clinic was the brainchild of head wrestling coach at Burnt Hills, Steve Jones, along with Morris, who hopes to give the Spartans every advantage possible heading into the upcoming season. The Spartans posted a 22-10 overall record last season and coach Jones is 108-68 in nine seasons at Burnt Hills. The goal of the clinic was for Morris to share his unique blend of Judo and wrestling that he has used successfully during his career.

"It was a great opportunity for me to give something back to my high school and possibly add to an already terrific program," commented Morris.

photos provided

From L to R: Meghan Sleezer, Kelley Vershbow, Doug Pilawa and Kristen Stearns

Send your sports stories and briefs to Daniel Schechtman, Sports Editor at sports@saratoga publishing.com

photo by Lou DiGesare

Jason Morris demonstrates one of his techniques on his student, Brad Bolen.

puzzle solutions from pg. 19

SARATOGA

TODAY

SPORTS

Friday, November 18, 2011

A Student’s Perspective on Penn State

Damian Fantauzzi Last week I wrote about the problem that occurred at Penn State and about the atrocity of sexual abuse committed by former assistant coach and defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. I have a niece at PSU and I understand the students on campus are not happy with the board of trustees' decision to fire coach Paterno. They feel that he deserves to finish out his last season!

There is nothing that can be said to stop the pain of those young men who were victimized by Sandusky. In New York State, it is the law that any form of sexual abuse must be reported to the police. Now he claims that those accusations are false and somehow he and his lawyer are going to prove these claims to be wrong.

Did someone make up these atrocious stories? What do you think?

My take is pretty simple: there are too many claims against Sandusky to be, what he calls, misunderstandings of what really happened over those years.

But what about the student body at PSU? Here is a note from my niece, an architectural engineering major at Penn State, which states how she feels concerning what has developed in the past couple of weeks: "Joe Paterno has been much, much more than a football coach.

He has done more for this school

than anyone combined. He is not a greedy man; his house is not even half the size of my own. His goal was always to do whatever he could for this school. He was a coach of student athletes, but students always came first. It was poor judgment not to do more for the victims, but he was not a witness, he was not told all the facts.

He reported it to his superior, who should've done more. Sandusky was his fellow coach, his friend, and a fellow Penn State legacy.

Joe did not know the facts, putting him in a bad position to tell the police."

She then talks about the situation that has recently occurred and the resulting fallout: "In just five short days, the university has completely flipped.

One of our own, Jerry Sandusky, has committed unspeakable crimes against children leading to complete shock across the whole student body. He is a disgrace to the great institution that is Penn State, and to the nation as a whole.

I promise you, as a university, we are doing what we can for child abuse awareness. My heart, our hearts, go out to the victims. We are 42,000 strong and ready to make a difference, just as we have with so many other organizations that I choose not to list. I am eager to make a difference for this cause.

We are strong and will make it through this together, as a Penn State family."

These kids at PSU are organizing coin drops and other ways to donate money in the fight against child abuse. My niece goes on about her feelings and what this has done to the university: "But I do believe, in order for us to move on as a university, all men involved should be removed from our school to start over fresh.

Spanier (PSU president), Curly (athletic director), Shultz (vice president of PSU), and it pains me to say, Joe also. However, I wish

we had the dignity to let him finish his last season and retire. He himself stated he wanted to remove himself from the situation and focus on what really matters, the victims. This situation does not change everything good he has done and I hope people can see that. I will remember him as the selfless man that he is."

Courtney, my niece and godchild, is a sophomore, and I feel what she has said can help outsiders realize the impact the Sandusky crime has had on that those young people on the Penn State Campus.

She closes with a statement discussing how they feel at the university: "I am disappointed in how the media is viewing our student body right now. The point of removing these officials was to ‘stop the bleeding’ and start fresh. The rioting is just foolish, and a bad representation of our school. It has only set us back. That was only a small portion of the student body that participated in the unnecessary aggression.

I still love you Joe, and I still love you Penn State. I have never doubted my decision to come here, my childhood dream. Most importantly, I'd just like to say, 'I hope Sandusky suffers for his crime.'* That is all."

Look at the thousands of people who were affected by the impact of these heinous crimes committed by the predator Jerry Sandusky.

What a sad situation; the victims are all of us. When young people are abused, when KIDS are abused, it is crime against all humankind. The loss of innocence and resulting damages that cannot be repaired - we are all taken down by something like this. The fight must go on against child abuse.

We need stricter laws that will put these molesters away for life. *Edited for tone

29

Spartans Advance to State Semifinals

by Daniel Schechtman Saratoga TODAY BURNT HILLS - After a nailbiting Super Bowl victory over their Amsterdam rivals, the Spartans gave themselves plenty of room to breathe during their Saturday, November 12 quarterfinal match, dominating Section X's Franklin Academy to win 63-20.

Burnt Hills totaled up 498 yards of offense (with only two attempted passes) against Franklin Academy's 287, scoring 21 points in the first quarter to take an early 21-7 lead.

Pounding away at the Franklin defense all night long with their running game, the "if-it-ain'tbroke-don't-fix-it" Spartans rushed for another three touchdowns in the second quarter to give them a 42-20 cushion heading into the half.

The Spartan's Daniel Porter scored the first two touchdowns for his team, rushing for 53-yards and 59-yards to give his team the edge. Porter would add another 4-yard touchdown dash in the third before finishing for the night.

Teammate Tom Ruppel pitched in with four touchdowns of his own, racking up 236 yards in one of his strongest performances of the season. Ruppel scored first on a 1-yard run, again on a 70yard run, once more on a 66yard run, and finally a 10-yard touchdown run to cap off his performance.

The Spartans advance to the state semifinals for the fourth consecutive year, where they will battle against Section IX's Cornwall Friday, November 18 in Kingston.

photo by MarkBolles.com

Spartans steamroll Franklin Academy on their way to the state semifinals.

30

SARATOGA

SPORTS

Friday, November 18, 2011

Men's Rugby Steps Up to Division II Challenge

by Daniel Schechtman Saratoga TODAY MALTA - The Saratoga Stampede Men's Rugby team faced a challenging transitional year as the organization stepped up from Division III to Division II competition, but determined, gritty and unrelenting play has earned this team respect in a new field of tough opponents.

The Saratoga Stampede jumped into a new division in the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) for the second time in three years, following excellent play and a promotion to Division III in 2009. This year's transition to Division II, however, came with a few extra challenges.

"The season began with many new recruits playing rugby for the first time in their lives," said James Verseput, player and public relations coordinator for Saratoga Men's Rugby. "This sport is based on timing and chemistry, which cannot be created overnight. It takes time and we were forced to try and put that together in a matter of weeks."

The task was no short order. A combination of Navy contracts, newborn babies, injuries, new business ventures and more culled 10 of the 22 A-Side players from the team, leaving the organization to rebuild their roster almost from the ground up.

"The team had to take a look at where we were and where we came from. It took all players on and off the field to maintain a positive attitude, knowing that we could build this thing if we worked together," said Verseput. "It was a struggle to

photo provided

The Stampede show the opposition they’re willing to fight. stay positive in the face of that adversity," he admits, "but it really built our character, and fostered a pride among those who were in the fight. Our mantra was, 'Do it for the guy next to you. We can't let anyone down who stands with us.'"

For the Stampede, the struggle was only beginning. Used to victory from the previous two seasons, the Stampede were stunned during their first match against the returning champions from Middlesex. Within the first minute of play, both a key backline player and the co-captain were lost due to injury. Losing 98-7, the remaining backline players were left to band together and fill the gap left by their injured comrade.

"The competition in Division II was well-coached, and teams played a faster-paced game than what we saw in Division III," said Verseput.

"There always is an adjustment period [when jumping divisions], but typically it doesn't come at the same time you lose almost half of your

starters."

Four games into the season, Saratoga had yet to claim victory.

For Verseput, the mid-point was a defining moment for the team, a moment where they had to ask themselves: do we lay down, or do we fight?

"Rugby is a sport that requires great sacrifices both personally and as a team," said Verseput. "The men and women who choose to play rugby at Saratoga play because it is in their nature to grow as individuals. Ultimately, the players had to choose their destiny."

For Saratoga, the choice was easy.

Despite early setbacks, new members on the team like Dan Potwin, Chad Santa Maria (a first-time player in the sport) and Mark Burchhardt worked closely with veteran players like Aaron Noble, Josh Sperry, Verseput, Steve Aguglia, Vernon Peck and more to hone their skills, gaining confidence along the way and building a strong sense of teamwork. Though Saratoga would ultimately lose the next game against Old Gold 23-28, a new team began to emerge after weeks of struggles and hardships.

In their final home game of the season, the Stampede stood opposite the Boston Irish team, a team that has earned a reputation for being physically dominate in the division.

"The game was a hard-hitting

affair, with strong forward play on both sides. The backlines were constantly under pressure and the field was muddy, resulting in a messy match," said Verseput.

Tied 10-10 with time running out, Saratoga's backline pierced through the Irish defense, muscling their way through and scoring the final goal with only seconds to spare.

There, after a hard-fought season on their home turf, the Stampede finally had reason to celebrate.

"Much effort went into that victory, and the Irish did not give up easily," said Verseput. "The match was a true victory for the club, both an on-the-field victory and a victory from a developmental standpoint."

With one season of Division II play behind them, the Stampede are looking to build upon their hard work, recruiting new players to the team while continuing to grow the existing talent.

TODAY

"I think that most of the people who toughed out this season fell in love with this sport. We are heavily focused on maintaining what we built all season, but more players are key in developing the overall club after a transition like this."

The Saratoga Stampede boasts a group of players from varied walks of life - college freshmen just 18 years of age to husbands and fathers with 45 years behind them. For anyone interested in learning more about the team, the Stampede are meeting every Wednesday at the Malta Community Center (beginning November 30) for two-hand touch rugby matches. All interested individuals and athletes are welcomed to attend.

"If rugby teaches you anything, it's to never give up - no matter what happens," said Verseput. "You do it for the people next to you and for the people around you. This is a true community sport."

To learn more about the team, visit www.SaratogaRugby.org.

photos provided

The Saratoga Stampede lift each other up to find victory.

SARATOGA

TODAY

SPORTS

Friday, November 18, 2011

31

Adirondack Sports and Fitness Winter Sports and Healthy Living Expo Returns to City Center

by Daniel Schechtman Saratoga TODAY SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Capital Region's largest winter sports exhibition is returning for the fourth consecutive year at the Saratoga Springs City Center, representing a wide range of winter sports, healthy living opportunities, hands-on demonstrations and information seminars.

The Adirondack Sports and Fitness Winter Sports and Healthy Living Expo begins Saturday, November 19 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and continues Sunday, November

20 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

With approximately 75 exhibitors set to attend the event, those represented will include alpine skiing, bicycling and triathlons, cross-country skiing, fitness, health and wellness, snowshoeing, running, quality of life pursuits and travel destinations. The two-day show will feature a variety of hands-on demonstrations, seminars and activities for all ages, giving attendees a chance to experience outdoor winter sports and healthy living all from the comfort of the climate-controlled city center.

Show activities and demonstra-

Capital District Youth Basketball League Results Eighth Grade The eighth grade Saratoga travel basketball team lost to Niskayuna Saturday, 47-42.

Evan Pescetti scored 11 points and had 11 rebounds to lead Saratoga in a very competitive game.

Seventh Grade Saratoga's seventh grade team jumped out to a 35-7 lead and defeated Niskayuna 49-24.

Every player scored, with Nick Ingles leading the way with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Connor Sullivan dished out 3 assists.

Sixth Grade The Saratoga sixth grade team traveled to Niskayuna and earned a 65-27 victory. Brian Hart scored 22 points and August Mahoney added 16 for Saratoga.

A.J. Lawton contributed 8 points.

Fifth Grade The Saratoga fifth graders took an early lead against

Niskayuna and didn't let off the gas, posting a 64-26 victory.

Saratoga attacked the basket on offense with every player scoring. A stingy defense allowed only 3 points in the first half.

Saratoga was led by Graham Patton's 13 points. Charlie Beck and Freddie Smith each added 8 points and 5 assists.

Fourth Grade The fourth grade travel team beat Niskayuna 56-13 to extend its record to 3-0. Christian Kondo and Aiden Holmes had 18 and 15 points, respectively.

Saratoga's first league home games of the season are December 5 at Maple Avenue Middle School against Guilderland. The games begin at 12:15 p.m. with the fifth graders playing, followed by the sixth and seventh graders at 1:30 p.m., and then the fourth and eighth graders playing at 2:45 p.m.

tions will include the Mega Spin Indoor Cycling Class led by Kevin Crossman, accomplished tri-athlete and triathlon coach. The class will be held both days at 2 p.m. Pre-registration is required, and participants are asked to bring their bike and trainer.

Snowshoe demonstrations will be held at the Dion Snowshoes booth, which will provide participants with a special "snow" surface demo to get a better feel for the product.

At the NYSSRA Nordic booth, exhibitors will hold a Biathlon Target Shooting demonstration, giving participants a chance to practice their aim with a laser rifle, as well as a cross-country ski waxing clinic run by David Kvam.

For the health and wellness crowd at the expo, One Roof of Saratoga

photo provided

The Gore Mountain booth from last year’s Winter Sports and Healthy Living Expo. and Studio Message will provide complimentary sample treatments and consultations. Other health and wellness seminars, including "To Be or Not To Be‌ Gluten Free," and "Naturopathic Medicine - From the Inside Out" will also be held over the two-day expo.

Partial ticket proceeds from the

event will help to benefit floydwarriors.com, which strives to help "families cope with cancer one household at a time." Guests will be charged $5 at the door (kids 18 and under are free).

To learn more about the expo or to view a list of vendors, please visit www.adksports.com.

Adirondack Winter Expo page 31

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sports

Men’s Rugby page 30 Friday, November 18, 2011

Vol. 6 • Issue 46 • FREE • Saratoga TODAY

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photos by MarkBolles.com