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Officials and Community Struggleto Save County Nursing Home
Inside TODAY...
by Emily FowlerSaratoga TODAY
Obituariespg 5
City Councilpg 7
Educationpg 11
Saratoga Chamberpg 13
Seniorspgs 14-15
Pulsepgs 22-25
F R E E Volume 7 • Issue 16 saratogatodaynewspaper.com
Parrot HeadParadise
See page 23
by Emily FowlerSaratoga TODAY
Planting Seeds of Hope
BALLSTON SPA - Record debtlevels at Maplewood Manor arestretching the city’s treasury thinnerthan ever before, sending waves ofworry and warning throughout ourcommunity. As one of the biggestdrains on county finances, officialsare racing to find solutions and save
the county nursing home.“We have to determine what our
priorities are. We’re running out ofmoney. We have to do somethingnow, and make changes that are thebest possible scenario for countyresidents,” warned Saratoga CountySupervisor, Joanne Yepsen.
BALLSTON SPA - This Saturday,April 21, volunteers will be hard atwork when some of our community’s
most caring members come togetheronce again at the Guardian House, fora full day of gardening and givingback.
See Guardian page 6by Daniel SchechtmanSaratoga TODAY
Sharing the Road
SARATOGA SPRINGS –Dozens of private citizens and localcivic groups are urging theSaratoga Springs City Council toadopt a new Complete Streets poli-cy, a proposal that encouragesmulti-modal transportation andshared access for automobiles,
cyclists and pedestrians in the cityof Saratoga.
“[With this proposal], we hopethat all uses are accommodated foras best as possible, from the plan-ning and design stage forward,”said Tobin Alexandra-Young ofShared Access Saratoga, who pre-sented the proposal to the CityCouncil during their Tuesday, April
See Complete page 9
Complete Streets StrengthenSaratoga’s World Class Appeal
Volunteers pitch in at the Guardian House • Photo by MarkBolles.com
Maplewood Tapped
See Community page 15 Photo by Daniel Schechtman
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 20122
Magic was in the air at Hogwarts the Children's Museum at Saratoga April 13 where aspiring wizards and wizardettes took part in a
“Wizarding Workshop.” There were secret maps, potions and magic wands crafted by the young spellbinders. Perhaps the next Harry
Potter could be among us here in the Spa City. The popular Wizarding Workshop is just one of many fun and educational activities
hosted by The Children's Museum at Saratoga Springs.
Photos provided by MarkBolles.com
Children’s Museum Hosts Wizarding Workshop
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 BLOTTERDenny Hunter, 58, of 279
Wilbur Rd., Schuylerville, pleaded
guilty to a charge of driving while
intoxicated, a class E-felony.
Hunter was arrested October 28 in
Mechanicville and has been placed
on interim probation including
drug treatment court. He is sched-
uled to return to court for sentenc-
ing June 13.
Staci Billings, 39, of 4612
Foxwood Drive South, Clifton
Park, was resentenced April 12 by
Judge Jerry Scarano to probation
terminated and to make a restitu-
tion payment of $9,079.00. Billings
was originally convicted March 4,
2009 of third-degree grand larceny,
a class-D felony, for which she was
sentenced to 84 days in jail and 5
years of probation.
Sylvester L. Jackson, 46, of 314
Louden Rd. Saratoga Springs,
pleaded guilty to a charge of third-
degree attempted criminal sale of a
controlled substance, a class-C
felony. Jackson was arrested
September 12 in Saratoga Springs
and is scheduled to return to court
for sentencing June 15.
Susan G. Hinds, 50, of 101
Union Ave., Saratoga Springs, was
resentenced April 13 by Judge
Jerry Scarano to four weekends in
Saratoga County Jail. Hinds was
originally convicted May 19 of
driving while intoxicated, a class-E
felony, for which she was sen-
tenced to five years of probation.
Matthew L. Rodden, 22, of 174
Maple Ave., Ballston Spa, was
resentenced April 13 by Judge
Jerry Scarano to time served and
continued probation to include
drug treatment court. Rodden was
originally convicted March 22,
2010, of third-degree criminal pos-
session of stolen property, a class-
D felony, for which he was sen-
tenced to six months in Saratoga
County Jail and five years of pro-
bation.
Justin A. Peters, 21, of 161
Maple Ave., Ballston Spa, pleaded
guilty to a charge of third-degree
burglary, a class-D felony. Peters
was arrested September 17 in
Wilton and is scheduled to return to
court for sentencing June 8.
Tyler S. Moon, 26, of 8a
Carmella Drive, Ganesvoort,
pleaded guilty to charges of driving
while intoxicated and fourth-
degree criminal possession of
stolen property, both class E-
felonies. Moon was arrested
October 20 in Moreau for an inci-
dent that occurred October 15 and
is scheduled to return to court for
sentencing June 8.
Raymond E. Pillow, 44, of 15
Ballston Ave., Saratoga Springs,
pleaded guilty to a charge of fifth-
degree criminal possession of a
controlled substance, a class-D
felony. Pillow was arrested May 12
in Saratoga Springs and is sched-
uled to return to court for sentenc-
ing June 15.
Alfred Evans, 23, residing at the
Budget Inn of 2865 Route 9,
Ballston Spa, pleaded guilty to a
charge of third-degree rape, a class-
E felony. Evans was arrested in
December 1 in Saratoga Springs
and is scheduled to return to court
for sentencing June 11.
Charles Morine, 42, of 153
Cooper St., Lake George, pleaded
guilty to a charge of second-degree
burglary, a class-C violent felony.
Morine was arrested October 4 in
Saratoga Springs and is scheduled
to return to court for sentencing
June 11.
Karen T. Buss, 54, of 33 Ginger
Terrace, Clifton Park, pleaded
guilty to a charge of driving while
intoxicated, a class-E felony. Buss
was arrested May 21 in Ballston
and is scheduled to return to court
for sentencing May 4.
Russell L. Palmateer, III, 35, of
248 Broadway, Community Court,
Apt. 211, Saratoga Springs, plead-
ed guilty to charges of third-degree
burglary and third-degree grand
larceny, both class-D felonies.
Palmateer was arrested March 23
in Saratoga Springs for an incident
that occurred March 2 and is sched-
uled to return to court for sentenc-
ing June 11.
Chester C. Jones, aka “X,” 34,
pleaded guilty to a charge of third-
degree attempted criminal sale of a
controlled substance, a class-C
felony. Jones was arrested February
9, 2011 in Saratoga Springs in and
is scheduled to return to court for
sentencing June 11.
Donald E. Fish, Sr., 52, of 99
Pearl St., Schuylerville, was resen-
tenced April 17 by Judge Jerry
Scarano to continued probation
with a modified restitution order.
Fish was originally convicted
November 5, 2010, of third-degree
grand larceny, a class-D felony, for
which he was sentenced to five
years of probation.
3Other Police News the Appellate Division. Saxton then proceeded
to request the Court of Appeals for permissionto appeal which was denied last week.
The Court of Appeals rejected his applica-tion to appeal from the Appellate Division’sorder which leaves him no further avenue tocontest the jury verdict of guilty.
BALLSTON SPA – Saratoga County DistrictAttorney James A. Murphy, III announcedtoday that the Court of Appeals of the Stateof New York rejected the application ofRichard T. Saxton, a former officer of WurldMedia, Inc. for leave to appeal from his juryverdict, convicting him of first-degree falsify-ing business records, a class-E felony.
As a result of the high court’s action,Acting County Court Judge Kelly McKeighanordered the former Wurld Media Officer, toserve his sentence of six months in theSaratoga County Jail together with fiveyears of probationary supervision and pay-ment of a $5,000 fine to the court.
The defendant was convicted in 2008 ofcharges related to the company havingimproperly listed payroll advances paid toemployees as loans and not payroll. Saxtonfiled an appeal from the judgment of convic-tion, which was affirmed, and then filed asecond challenge to his conviction with theCounty Court. The County Court denied hisappeal, and the decision was affirmed by
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 20124 WEEK IN REVIEWBody of Missing WomanRecovered from MohawkRiver
WATERFORD – A body foundApril 15 in the Mohawk River hasbeen confirmed to be CynthiaGavitt, a Saratoga Springs womanwho has been missing since October29, 2011. According to a statementissued by the New York State Police,the 48-year-old woman drowned inthe river. It is being ruled as a sui-cide. Gavitt was the wife of a statepolice captain and a mother of two.According to police, she had beendealing with major medical prob-lems for almost a year before herdisappearance. Her car was locatedon Canal Road near the CrescentBridge in Halfmoon, which led to anunsuccessful search of the MohawkRiver that lasted several days. Herbody was discovered by campers
near Cohoes Falls.
Man Arrested after firingshots at Malta Drive-In
MALTA – Here’s a tip for all thefamilies and friends making the tripto the drive-in theater this summer:leave your gun at home. A CliftonPark man was arrested April 14 afterhe allegedly fired two shots at theground in an attempt to break up afight. According to New York StatePolice, there was a fight that brokeout between the occupants of twocars at the drive-in. It was then thatChristopher Abaire, 22, decided tograb his .410 caliber shotgun fromhis trunk, and discharge the weaponin an attempt to stop the fight.Abaire was later stopped by policeand was eventually charged withtwo misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree criminal possession of aweapon, and second-degree menac-
ing. No one was reported injured.
Empty Bowls benefit raisesover $13,500 for WiltonFood Pantry
WILTON - More than $13,500was raised at Saratoga County's firstofficial Empty Bowls event, held tobenefit the Wilton Food Pantry.Nearly 250 people attended theApril 15 event at the Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge 161. All whoattended chose a unique ceramicbowl, created and donated bySkidmore College’s ceramics stu-dents working under the direction ofprofessor Leslie Ferst.
"Participating in Empty Bowls isa unique opportunity for my stu-dents to start the semester with aconcrete goal and deadline. Theirparticipation helps them understandhow their actions and skills canextend beyond academic require-ments to benefit the greater commu-nity. I welcome this opportunity toinvolve the students in such a bene-ficial event," said Ferst.
Attendees used their bowls toenjoy vegetable soup, chili and rollsprepared by Skidmore’s DiningServices chef Ben Niese and hisstaff. Bowls were cleaned and redis-tributed to guests courtesy of BoyScout Troop 24. The bowls wenthome with guests as a memento ofthe event and the importance ofmaking food available to those inneed.
Wilton Branch of SaratogaRegional YMCA to closeApril 24 for construction
WILTON – The Wilton YMCAbranch at 20 Old Gick Road will beclosing this coming Tuesday, April
24, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.while they begin construction toconnect to the city water lines. Allprograms are cancelled, includingany preschool or gymnastics pro-grams. All four of the other branch-es of Saratoga Regional YMCA –Saratoga Springs, Malta, Corinth,and Battenkill – will still be open forbusiness. The Malta branch willhave their own repairs take placeApril 25-27, as they upgrade theirweight room facilities. The weightroom will be closed during that time.
Milton Highway superin-tendent pleads guilty tolesser charge
MILTON – Current MiltonHighway Superintendent David C.Forbes has pled guilty to misde-meanor sixth-degree conspiracy, andfaces up to one year of probation.Forbes was originally charged withfelony fourth-degree conspiracy,after police investigators said heconspired to sell cocaine on BallstonAvenue December 7. His attorneyJeff Bagnoli says his client isexpected to be sentenced June 7.Forbes was re-elected last fall, run-ning unopposed. Had he been con-victed of the more severe charge, itwould have meant leaving his postas an elected official. Milton TownSupervisor Dan Lewza says thetown board is discussing new legis-lation that would require randomdrug testing for anyone who usestown vehicles. Forbes was one of adozen people arrested during thefive-month joint investigationbetween the Saratoga Springs PoliceDepartment and the DrugEnforcement Administration.
Builder Appears in CityCourt
SARATOGA SPRINGS – DavidJelenik, owner of JelenikConstruction Co., was in city courtApril 19 asking for a resolution tothe charges of failing to pay $61,600in income taxes from 2005 and
2008. He was arrested in Januaryand charged with nine separatefelonies, including criminal taxfraud, repeated failure to file taxreturns and offering a false instru-ment for filing. Jelenik’s lawyer toldJudge Jeffrey Wait that he had hiredexperts to review the cases and isseeking a resolution to the charges.Jelenik is also accused of takingmoney from homeowners forincomplete projects and not payingsubcontractors for goods and servic-es provided.
Saratoga Springs PublicLibrary Budget Passes
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Theproposed $5.5 million budget for theSaratoga Springs Public Library wasapproved April 13. The final tallywas 200 in favor, to 39 opposed.This now authorizes a 1.5 percentincrease in the library’s tax levy,which now sits at $4.95 million.Saratoga Springs resident JanetLindner will now sit on the library’sboard of trustees after she ran unop-posed for the seat. It’s not clear as tohow much this will affect taxpayers,but library officials expect thatinformation will be available in thenear future, when assessment figuresare available.
Motorcycle Crash ClaimsLife of Teenager
HALFMOON – A 19-year-oldman from Clifton Park was killedApril 15 after he crashed his 2006Suzuki motorcycle into three vehi-cles at Route 9 and Watkins Plazaaccording to the Saratoga CountySheriff’s Office. Sean C. Obernesserwas headed north on Route 9 around11 a.m. when he struck the vehicleof Henry Kurland of Clifton Park ashe was making a left turn. Themotorcycle then struck two morevehicles before stopping.Obernesser was transported toAlbany Medical Center where hewas pronounced dead. No otherinjuries were reported.
To view the full-text version of the obituariesprinted on this page, visit the
archive section ofwww.SaratogaTodayNewspaper.com. It isthe policy of Saratoga TODAY to publishobituaries as a service to our readers.
Please send your obituaries to Christina James at
cjames@saratogapublishing.com.
Mary Margaret Colson Ballston Spa, NY- Mary
Margaret Colson 72, died Saturday,
March 24, 2012.
Mary was born March 13, 1940,
in Bristol, Vemont. She was the
daughter of the late Lyle and
Margaret Irish Rockwood.
In addition to her parents, Mary
was predeceased by her husband,
Archerball Colson, and sister,
Waneta Mabb.
Mary was a member of the
Providence Baptist Church, in
Galway.
She is survived by two brothers,
Wilbur Rockwood and Norman
Atherton; and two sisters, Charlene
Biggie and Elaine Norton.
Memorial services under the
direction of Compassionate Funeral
Care. Internment will be at
Greenridge Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations be
made to Saratoga Community
Hospice, 179 Lawrence St.,
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
George A. Morris SCHUYLERVILLE- A memori-
al service with full military honors
will be held for George A. Morris at
2 p.m. Friday, April 20, 2012, at
Saratoga National Cemetery in
Schuylerville.
Those wishing to attend should
arrive early at the Information
Center to be escorted to the commit-
tal shelter.
Mary MarinoSaratoga Springs, NY - Mary
Marino, 88, went peacefully to be
with the Lord Saturday, April 14,
2012.
Born May 22, 1923, in Corinth,
NY, she was the daughter of the late
Louis and Jenny Capocci Marino.
She was predeceased by her life-
long partner, Raymond DeGrechie;
her brother, Dr. Cecil J. Marino; and
her sisters, Theresa Shippey and
Josie Spinelli.
She is survived by her sister,
Rose Marino Peck; niece, Jo-An
Simone; three nephews, David
Spinelli, Anthony (Vicki May)
Spinelli and John Marino; two
great-nieces, Jenny (Paul Straney)
Spinelli and Victoria Marino; and a
great nephew, Haig Marino.
A Mass of Christian Burial was
celebrated Wednesday, April 18,
2012.
Burial will be in the family plot at
Greenridge Cemetery, Lincoln
Ave., Saratoga Springs.
Online memorials may be made
at www.burkefuneralhome.com.
John O. HamiltonBallston Spa, NY – John O. Hamilton, 53, passed
away Monday, April 16, 2012.
John was born January 20, 1959, in Pawtucket, RI.
John worked for over 25 years for Federal Express in
Menands.
John is predeceased by his father, Clyde Hamilton
Sr.; mother, Rita (LaBelle) Hamilton; and brother,
Clyde Hamilton, Jr.
Survivors include his loving wife, Joanne (Filipow)
Hamilton; their “children” Missy, Finster, Oreo and
Angel K; siblings, Linda Nolan, Ronald, Edward, Alan
and Donald Hamilton; mother-in-law, Mary Filipow;
brother-in-law, Gerard (Barbara) Filipow; sister-in-law,
Kathryn (Basil) Nakonechny; and many nieces and
nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11
a.m. Friday, April 20, 2012, at St. Clement’s Church
231 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs.
Memorial Service and burial will be held at a later
date in New Jersey.
Donations may be made to Rock City Falls Volunteer
Fire Department at 1119 Rock City Rd., Rock City
Falls, NY 12863.
Online remembrances may be made at www.burke-
funeralhome.com.
Catherine “Mickey” RehmSaratoga Springs, NY - Catherine
“Mickey” Rehm, 88, a resident of
Saratoga Springs, passed away April
8, 2012.
Catherine was born November 25,
1923, in Staten Island, New York,
and was the daughter of the late
Thomas and Hattie Finneran.
Survivors include her son, Robert
(Deborah Prior) Rehm; daughter,
Judy (Robert Nielson) Cocke; her
twin brother, Thomas Finneran; four
grandchildren, Aimee (Michael)
Herring, Andrew (Laura Chlopecki)
Rehm, Stacey (Brian Backhaus) and
Harris Timothy Rehm; great-grand-
daughter, Caitlin Grace Herring;
family members, Christine Rehm
and Edward Cocke; and several
nieces and nephews.
Memorials can be made in her
memory to The Saratoga Hospital
Foundation for Saratoga Care
Nursing Home; 211 Church St.,
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866.
Online remembrances can be
made at
www.tunisonfuneralhome.com.
Lena Amelia RobinsonSaratoga Springs, NY – Lena Amelia
Robinson, hand-in-hand with her hus-
band, Leon, Saturday, April 14, 2012.
Born April 8, 1927, on the family farm
at Stafford Bridge, she was the daughter
of the late Irving F. Sr. and Lena M.
Ruhle.
In addition to her parents, she was pre-
deceased by her loving husband, Leon;
her sister, Ellen Ruhle; two brothers,
Irving F., Jr. and Floyd (Jake) Ruhle; a
great- granddaughter, Lyla Simone; and a
great-niece, Maya Lamondi.
Survivors include her son, Charles (Sherry) Robinson;
daughters, Linda (Leslie) King, Diane Robinson and
Donna (Terry) DeLuca; nine grandchildren, John
Robinson, Camey Pulver, AnnMarie, Robert and
Christopher Diehl, Peter King, Meghan Covell, Jeremy
DeLuca and Morgan Simone; 18 great-grandchildren;
two great-great-grandchildren; brother, James Ruhle; sis-
ters, Marion Ruhle, Frances Turney and
Shirley Clark as well as numerous
nieces and nephews.
There will be no public calling hours.
Funeral services will be held at 10
a.m. Friday, April 20, 2012, at St. Paul’s
Lutheran Church, Lake Ave., Saratoga
Springs.
Burial will be at the convenience of
the family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be
made to General Schuyler Emergency
Squad, 51 Ferry St., Schuylerville, NY
12871 or 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 (518) 584-5373.
Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefu-
neralhome.com.
Schuylerville, NY - Margaret "Peg"
C. Deyoe, 71, passed away
Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at
Saratoga Hospital.
Born January 11, 1941, in Fort
Edward, NY, she was the daughter of
the late William P. and Doris Obie
Murphy.
In addition to her parents, Peg was
predeceased by a grandson, Kevin,
and a daughter-in-law, Ruth.
Survivors include her husband of
53 years, William; children, David
(Martine) Deyoe, Donald Deyoe,
Dennis (Robin Cowley) Deyoe, William Deyoe,
Timothy (Tina) Deyoe and Deborah (Jeff) Dooley;
grandchildren, David Patrick, Tayler, Kaitlin, Jacob,
Kelci and Jenna; sisters, Joan (Randy)
Randall and Patricia (John) Murphy;
and many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was
held Saturday, April 14, 2012, at the
Notre Dame-Visitation Church, Pearl
St., Schuylerville.
Burial will be in the family plot at
Bacon Hill Cemetery,
Northumberland.
Donations may be made to the
General Schuyler Emergency Squad,
51 Ferry St., Schuylerville, NY
12871.
Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefu-
neralhome.com.
Margaret "Peg" C. Deyoe
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 OBITUARIES 5
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 20126
continued from Page 1
Guardian House“I’m really amazed. I love Ballston
Spa. It is the most giving town,” saidDarcy, a current resident at the femaleveterans’ home.
Guardian House is a division of theSaratoga County Rural PreservationCompany, which manages it. Locatedon Church Avenue in Ballston Spa,the 10-bed, shared-room transitionalhousing facility is dedicated to help-ing female veterans returning fromactive duty. The Guardian House isthe first fully-operating house of itskind, and only one of two in NewYork State dedicated to women veterans.
Saturday’s project is the culmina-tion of a long partnership between
Chip’s Landscaping owners, husbandand wife Sue and Chip DuBois, andSaratoga Kohl’s manager, SuzanneTrudell, leading this project togetheras they have done for the past threeyears at other sites. Give-back proj-ects are an annual contribution ofKohl’s Cares Associates in theirAction National Go Green Event,combining Earth Day with nationalvolunteer week. This year, otherKohl’s stores including Clifton Park,Colonie and Amsterdam are joiningthe Saratoga store in its efforts andadding their allotted $1,500 each ofcorporate contributions. Kohl’s andChip’s Landscaping projects continueto grow every year, with Saturday’sproject hosting 35 volunteers, includ-ing 20 from Kohl’s.
“Kohl’s is really excited for theirthird year in a row partnering withChip’s Landscaping. It’s prettyincredible to be directly part of some-thing that actually gives back to thecommunity,” remarked Trudell.
When DuBois was contemplatingher choice of project to lead this year,the idea of helping local veteranscame to her immediately.
“In light of everything that is goingon in our country and abroad, com-bined with the fact that my dad is aveteran, in my heart of hearts I knewI wanted to do something for veter-ans. But I also wanted to involveyouths, so I had to rethink that and tieall of that in.”
She turned to the Girl Scouts,specifically high school junior andsenior girls, who have committedtheir time and will be on hand the dayof the build.
“That is our youth connection.Also, our project happens to combinewith the Girl Scouts’ 100th yearanniversary, and their current com-mitment to “go green,” DuBoisremarked.
The extensive sustainable projectplanned for Saturday is not your aver-age flower bed. Chip’s is incorporat-ing cutting edge sustainable technolo-gy, flowers and an edible garden.
The “build” is actually a three-dayproject. Sue and Chip will be on-sitetwo days prior to the build day toaccept deliveries and do work likepulling weeds and cutting out oldplant material to prepare the site forvolunteers.
“Our definition of sustainability isto have an outdoor environment pro-duce more than it uses, combiningplants, wild life, collected and reusedrainwater. As opposed to an area thatmerely uses our resources this onewill produce,” said DuBois.
Saturday’s project will incorporateAquascape, an installed drip irriga-tion system, which is a water savingfeature that DuBois was first intro-duced to at a past HospiceCommunity build project.
From then on she and Chip werehooked on the remarkable systemsthey saw, received their certificationsthrough Aquascape to installRainXChange systems, and restruc-tured their entire company aroundbringing these features to customers.The systems harvest hundreds of gal-lons of water, and store it in filtersunderground, where it is filteredtwice before used to water land-scapes. Chip’s estimates 33,000 gal-lons of water per year can be accumu-lated from just the Guardian House’sback roof.
The water feature of the gardenwill be a very calming presence, andthe ladies are excited about and look-ing forward to helping installSaturday. They have been saving adonated patio set and gazebo to set upafter the garden is installed.
But DuBois won’t be finishedthere. She has planned follow-upactivities for the near future includinga youth planting day and workshopsfor veterans on how to keep theinstalled project going.
“That’s our commitment to theproject after this one ‘day of build’ isover,” she said.
Some of the female veterans cur-rently residing at Guardian Househave children and grandchildren theywill be reconnecting with and work-ing side by side with their familiescome Saturday. Albany-SaratogaSubmarine Veterans will also be help-ing out by welcoming everyone andproviding refreshments.
“Veterans should know they have aplace to turn here,” said Marge
Brahm, administrative manager ofGuardian House. Once a member ofthe Women’s Army Corps (WAC),herself, Brahm understands the par-ticular needs female veterans have.
“There are veterans who could besleeping on a friend’s couch thatwould still be technically consideredhomeless. Veterans could be turnedoff by the idea of dormitory-style liv-ing, but here veterans all work togeth-er, make dinner every night and sharechores,” she explained.
Darcy, a Granville native and resi-dent here since January and also a for-mer member of WAC, learned aboutthe Guardian House through VeteransAffairs, whose members directed herthere.
“There’s a small town atmosphere,but there’s also a lot to offer both inthis town and the surrounding area.Coming here is the best decision I’veever made. I love it because of thepeople and the programs we’reoffered here,” she said.
The Guardian House providescombined resources in health,employment and creative expressionall geared toward helping veteransback into mainstream society.
“The goal is to stay here temporar-ily. I’m really excited about my re-education here. They really give youa good base. Everybody workstogether to make it a good place.Different girls land here for differentreasons; it’s a mix. I’m very thankfulto be here. I still can’t get over thegenerosity,” said Darcy.
Maggie Kenworthy, another resi-dent and manager of the houseagreed. “I am so grateful for this com-munity, the outpour of help and loveis overwhelming. As a recoveringalcoholic, the water feature (of thenew garden) will be a wonderfulplace for me to meditate,” she said.
Many donations have comethrough countless organizations andsources, not only for the day of thebuild, but that actually made thehome’s opening last year possible.Besides Chip’s Landscaping andKohl’s, 10 other local businesses par-ticipating asked to help in Saturday’sevent including: Allerdice PartyRental; Kerl’s Electric; Dehn’sFlowers; Jerry and Lisa Burke, own-ers of local Dunkin’ Donuts franchis-es; Mulholland Enterprises; SteveSullivan of Olde Bryan Inn andLongfellows Restaurants; BacigalupoTrucking & Excavation; AtlanticIrrigation; and Aquascape.
If you’d like to make a contribu-tion, Guardian House is presently inneed of various gardening equipmentincluding rakes, hoes, gardeninggloves and other tools. Call MargeBrahm at (518) 885-0091, ext. 1080to learn how you can help.
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 7
Date Set for Hearing on Charter Changethat a number of signatures werealleged to be unusable. SaratogaCitizen sued the city following therejection, and won, which led thecity to immediately appeal the deci-sion. The appellate court upheld thedecision in favor of SaratogaCitizen earlier this month.
Mayor Johnson expressed that hewasn’t sure if the petition could stillbe implemented since the docu-ments were drafted back in 2010,and the dates outlined in theSaratoga Citizen proposal have allpassed.
“The timeline for this has comeand gone, and we have to addressthat as a city,” said Johnson.
Johnson will seek a legal opinionfrom the New York Conference ofMayors, an organization that’smaintained support for the commis-sion throughout its legal battleagainst the petitions.
Saratoga Springs Housing Authority
In other city council news, it wasa busy night for CommissionerJohn Franck, as he also suggestedthat a corrective action be initiatedregarding the Saratoga SpringsHousing Authority (SSHA), whichwould contain the outlined stepsrequired to once again be in accor-
dance with city law. The SSHA’semployees are required to havetheir salaries approved by the citycouncil but stopped submitting forapproval back in 2000.
This led to the discovery that theorganization’s executive directorEd Spychalski’s salary had bal-looned to over $150,000 annually,or double what he made when hetook the job in 2007. A legal opin-ion sought by the city revealed therewas little recourse should the SSHAfail to comply with the city’srequests. This was challengedrecently as a letter sent by theDepartment of U.S. Housing andDevelopment said that the city has“primary oversight responsibility”over the SSHA.
Commissioner Franck expressed
his confidence that there was noway the council would haveapproved such a dramatic increasein salary, and proposed the SSHAbring their current salaries to thecouncil for approval. Franck hasalso stated he would submit arequest under the Freedom ofInformation act, asking for moreinformation about the HousingAuthority, as well as addressing hisconcerns with a nonprofit createdby the SSHA called the SaratogaAffordable Housing Group.Spychalski and Gerald Hawthornehave since left the affiliate group.
Commissioner ordersanother round of last callworkshop
Public Safety Commissioner
Chris Mathiesen has scheduledanother public hearing regardingthe proposed change to the city’slast call hour for 6:15 p.m. May 1,prior to their city council meeting.This is the second chance in a lessthan a month residents of SaratogaSprings will be allowed the chanceto voice their opinions aboutwhether bars and night clubs shouldbe allowed to serve alcohol until thecurrent time of 4 a.m. or have itrolled back to 3 a.m. or possiblyearlier. Commissioner Franck hadsuggested Mathiesen wait until theState Liquor Authority wouldrequire the change to be county-wide, or would only apply to thecity. Franck attempted a similarmeasure in 2010, but was unsuccessful.
by Andrew MarshallSaratoga TODAY
SARATOGA SPRINGS –Commissioner of Accounts JohnFranck has scheduled a public hear-ing to be held prior to the May 1City Council meeting, in an effort toplace Saratoga Citizen’s proposedchange to the city’s charter on theNovember ballot. The hearing isscheduled for 6:45 p.m. May 1 atthe Saratoga Springs City Councilchambers prior to their next meet-ing. The council may vote on thematter that evening, but will likelywait to hear various solicited legalopinions regarding the proposal’svalidity after it was proposed twoyears ago.
The group had presented a peti-tion to the city back in 2010 askingfor the chance to allow voters tochoose whether the city wouldremain in its current commissionformat or change to a council-man-ager form. The change would resultin the hiring of a professionally-trained city manager, who would beput in charge of the city’s day-to-day operations.
The group’s petition was initiallyrejected back in 2010 when amongother issues, it was indicated that afiscal note was not included and
America’s Greatest Main Streets
Photo by ©stockstudiosphotography.comTravel + Leisure magazine honored Saratoga Springs as one ofAmerica’s Greatest Main Streets in the May 2012 edition.
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 20128 BUSINESS
by Daniel SchechtmanSaratoga TODAY
BALLSTON SPA - The Ballston
Spa National Bank (BSNB) was
awarded the Education and
Business Partnership award from
the Chamber of Southern Saratoga
County for promoting educational
excellence for students in grades K-
12 and for contributions to the qual-
ity of life in the Southern Saratoga
County Region. The Ballston Spa
Central School District and Mother
Teresa Academy nominated the
bank for the award, which was pre-
sented at the Chamber’s 45th
Anniversary Awards Dinner.
“On behalf of everyone at BSNB,
I would like to thank the Ballston
Spa Central School District and
Mother Teresa Academy for the
generous comments in their nomi-
nation for this award,” said
Christopher R. Dowd, president and
chief executive officer. “We have
been fortunate to have the opportu-
nity to partner with both of these
schools in helping to develop the
workforce of tomorrow. By working
together, we are confident that we
can continue to make a positive dif-
ference in the lives of those in our
community.”
BSNB was nominated for the
award because of their involvement
with both schools, including sup-
porting the Ballston Spa High
School Robotics Team and for men-
toring students in the Sponsor-A-
Scholar program.
“BSNB has been a critical busi-
ness partner in driving innovation
and educational excellence for stu-
dents in Saratoga County,” said
Joseph P. Dragone, the superintend-
ent of schools for the Ballston Spa
Central School District. “At
BSNB…they believe that through
financial support and volunteer
efforts, they can make a positive dif-
ference and help strengthen the local
community.”
Ballston Spa National Bank Receives
Education & Business Partnership Award
Christopher R. Dowd, president and CEO of Ballston Spa National Bank,accepts the Education & Business Partnership Award from Fern Hurley,chair of the Chamber Education & Business Partnership Committee.
photo provided
Local Brothers’ New Business Delivers
Fresh Organic Produce Right to Your Door
SARATOGA SPRINGS -
Brothers Kyle and Brandon
Kommer are combining the pub-
lic’s growing desire for fresh,
organic and all-natural produce
with the convenience of the
Internet, delivering their goods
right to your doorstep. Named in
memory of their third brother, they
call their new business Cody’s
Fresh Foods.
“For a number of years, I’ve
been interested in staying healthy,”
said Brandon Kommer, co-founder
of Cody’s Fresh Foods. “Talking
with different people, we began to
realize all the different things big-
ger companies put into food, like
chemicals and pesticides. So we
wanted to come up with a business
that offers something that big cor-
porate companies that mass pro-
duce their products don’t.”
Through the company’s website,
www.codysfreshfoods.com, cus-
tomers can sign up for weekly
deliveries, which can include a box
of all vegetables, all fruits, or a
mixture of fruits and vegetables.
Customers can also add on other
organic or all-natural products to
their delivery, including fresh farm
eggs, cheese, hummus, local breads
and more.
Regardless of what you decide to
sign up for, part of the fun with
Cody’s Fresh Foods is that no two
boxes are ever the same.
“Every week the boxes change,”
said Kommer. “We’re trying to
continuously change what we have
to offer, and give our customers an
opportunity to try different foods.
It’s a good way to try new products
and expand your palate.”
The Kommer brothers of Cody’s
Fresh Foods operate under a few
guiding principles. First, they
believe fresh produce is not a luxu-
ry but a right - and should be made
available at a reasonable price.
They also promise produce that is
only three or four days off the vine,
instead of the typical eight to 10
days at a typical supermarket.
Third, they believe in listening to
their customers and will strive to
accommodate tastes, dietary needs
and produce requests based on cus-
tomer feedback.
“Our main thing is that we’re
100 percent for the customers, so
we like to hear what they have to
say,” said Kommer. “If there are
items you want to see more of, or
less of, we like to hear that.”
To sign up for deliveries, visit
www.codysfreshfoods.com, select
your produce and type in your zip
code. If your zip code isn’t current-
ly listed, Kommer urges customers
to contact them directly. Although
they are based in Saratoga Springs,
Cody’s Fresh Foods are serving
customers as far north as
Queensbury and Kingsbury and as
south as Cohoes.
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 9
continued from Page 1
Complete Streets Policy Encourages Multi-Modal Transportation
17 meeting. “This policy creates aframework for a culture change totake place in Saratoga.”
The Complete Streets policywould ask future building projectsaffecting roadways within the cityof Saratoga Springs to consideraccommodating as many modes oftransportation as possible, fromcreating a dedicated bike lane toadding shared roadway signage,crosswalks, lane striping, side-walks, bus pull outs and more. Thepolicy hopes to foster a safe envi-ronment for motorists, pedestrians,bicyclists and public transit usersalike.
The proposal builds upon a simi-lar policy signed into statewide lawin August 2011 by GovernorAndrew Cuomo, which requiresComplete Street design guidelinesbe considered for projects fundedby state or federal dollars.Alexandra-Young and other like-minded individuals are hoping to
extend this policy to include pri-vately funded projects as well.
“This does not require any roadsto be dug up, and this should notstop any projects,” explainedAlexandra-Young.
What the policy does ask, saidAlexandra-Young, is that new proj-ects consider accommodating mul-tiple modes of transportation intheir planning and design phase byusing a Complete Streets Checklist.
“This [checklist] shall listComplete Streets’ basic practicesthat have been integrated into theproject design and how usergroups, including pedestrians,bicyclists, motorists and transit rid-ers are accommodated. It will also
list if any user groups were notaccommodated and the reasonswhy,” reads the proposal.
Over 20 different civic groups,organizations and businessesassisted Shared Access Saratoga indrafting the Complete Streets poli-cy, including the Saratoga SpringsPolice Department, Saratoga’sPubic Safety and Engineeringoffices, the Saratoga CountyChamber of Commerce, theDowntown Special AssessmentDistrict, Bonacio Construction,Sustainable Saratoga, SaratogaHealthy Transportation Network,Saratoga Hosptial, AARP,Sustainable Skidmore, CapitalDistrict Transportation Authority,Cool Cities, Safe Routes to School,Elan Planning Design andLandscape Architecture, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign andmore.
“The Complete Streets adoptionwill become part of who we are asa city,” said Jim Letts, CEO of theSaratoga Regional YMCA at the
Tuesday meeting. “It will help keepus competitive as a world class des-tination with other communities.”
Others, including Erin Mitchell,associate state director at AARP,voiced their support at the meeting.
“Complete Streets only enhancesand encourages people to come andlive, work and visit SaratogaSprings,” added Mitchell. “It willmake the roadways and downtowna more attractive place to be.”
Other organizations, includingSustainable Skidmore andSustainable Saratoga, laud theComplete Streets program for itspositive effects on the environment.
“This proposed policy is on tar-get with the city’s Climate SmartCommunity efforts for reducingemissions,” said Mayor ScottJohnson. “It also brings attention toour existing shared access opportu-nities downtown and outlines anapproach for an improved, trans-parent process to promoting sharedaccess citywide.”
While the proposal seemed togarner widespread support fromthose in attendance, including sev-eral City Council members (therewere no voices of dissent), the pol-icy will have to wait until nextmonth’s meeting before it is offi-cially voted on. If approved, aseven-member advisory committeewill be created to review projectproposals and zoning codes, as wellas to assist builders in accommo-dating Complete Street guidelinesand objectives.
“We believe the city will becomenationally-known for cycling,” saidDan Lynch of the Saratoga HealthyTransportation Network. “[Thepolicy] will help make the streetssafer for cyclists and pedestrians,and the Saratoga HealthTransportation network is all forthis proposal.”
To view a full draft of theComplete Streets policy, visitwww.saratoga-springs.org andclick on “Draft Complete StreetsPolicy” on the upper right sectionof the page.
“[Complete Streets] willhelp keep us competitive asa world class destination.”
Jim LettsCEO of Saratoga Regional YMCA
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 2012 10
This Week’sSpotlightNorth
CountryHorses
Horses, horses, horses!
That’s what you get at North
Country Horses Summer
Horsemanship Camp.
North Country Horses offers a
full-day summer camp program for
children ages 6-16. Pre and post-
camp care is available for working
parents to ensure that children are
in a safe, fun-filled environment
before and after the camp’s regular
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. hours.
From the first feeding in the
morning until it’s time to go home
in the afternoon, the focus is on
horses. Campers will enjoy riding
time, group and individual lessons,
and many other horse related activ-
ities. They will be introduced to all
aspects of horse care and handling.
Our 2012 camp dates are the
weeks of July 16 -July 20, July 23
- July 27, July 30 - August 3,
August 6 - August 10, and August
20 - August 24. Sign up early!
Spots are limited and filling quick-
ly. More information is available
by emailing NorthCountryHorse
@Yahoo.com or calling Amanda at
(518)-441-5959.
Summer Camp Directory
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 EDUCATION 11
GREENFIELD- 2011-2012 marks
Greenfield Elementary School’s 50th
school year, and to celebrate, princi-
pal Tina Davis has announced that
the school is making what many
community members feel is a bitter-
sweet change.
“We explored our options and
decided it was time to replace our
current playground with one that still
has a lot of charm, but has updated
equipment and features that meet our
students’ needs,” said Davis.
The current 25-year-old wooden
structure is in remarkable shape for
its age, but is not without its share of
problems. Some of the more major
issues began last fall, but since it was
hand-built by the community, tearing
it down has been put off as long as
possible.
“Every year there’s an inspection,”
said Davis. “Last fall, it was decided
that the monkey bars over a wooden
walkway would be taken out. The
tires that make up the dragon’s body
were removed… it was painful for
the children to see pieces keep being
taken away. It has come to the point
where [the playground] looks much
different than it did even five years
ago - it loses one piece at a time, and
the younger kids have nothing to do
besides run around.”
To address the problem of the rap-
idly-shrinking playground, a shared
decision-making team was created.
Consisting of three parents, three
teachers and a representative sam-
pling from the school community, the
team met to explore the possible
options for the replacement of the
playground and the task of finding a
builder the community could get
behind.
Fundraising chair and shared deci-
sion-making team member Julie
Getty spearheaded the playground
vendor selection process.
“Julie went through and
researched all the playgrounds she
could find,” said Davis. “One of the
ones we liked ended up being built
by our current playground’s original
builders, Leathers & Associates.
They can make a very similar struc-
ture that the community designs,
with improvements.”
Leathers & Associates oversees
the technical aspects of the design,
safety, accessibility and the construc-
tion of the playground, while utiliz-
ing community manpower and vol-
unteers for the bulk of its funding and
assembly.
“There are so many other working
parts of this that will fall on the com-
munity’s shoulders,” said fundraising
chair Julie Getty. “Not only the stu-
dents, parents and teachers are con-
cerned with this issue- people who
use the playground, the Greenfield
community, are passionate about it.”
The school is hoping to use this
passion to rally the community
behind their cause and take their
$150,000 budget and turn it into a
$400,000 playground. The commu-
nity-based build will help Greenfield
obtain a playground not otherwise
possible without its support. The
school is counting on local business-
es’ donations and a volunteer work-
force to make the new playground a
reality.
“Corporate sponsorship is how this
is going to be built,” said Getty. “We
have a projected build date of spring
of next year. [We] have to build on
the momentum, the excitement of
this.”
On June 6, a birthday celebration
and design day kick-off party will
give local kids an opportunity to pro-
vide insight into how the playground
should look and ignite some of that
needed community excitement.
“Children in the community will
have the chance to feel as if they’re
inspiring the initial design,” said
Davis. “[They’re] going to draw pic-
tures of what they see as the very best
playground and design it all
together.”
At the end of the day’s festivities, a
first-draft schematic incorporating
some of the prominent themes from
the children’s drawings will be
revealed.
In the meantime, Greenfield
Elementary is asking for any interest-
ed community members to get
involved.
The school is in the process of
establishing a playground committee
and needs volunteers to help with
everything from providing food and
child care during the build to secur-
ing funds and materials.
If you are interested in being on
the committee or would just like
more information, visit the new play-
ground’s website at www.greenfield-
playground.com or attend the first
playground committee meeting April
30 at 6:30 p.m. at Greenfield
Elementary.
Greenfield To Say Goodbye to Wooden Playground
by Christina JamesSaratoga TODAY
The 25-year-old structure will be replaced by spring of 2013
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 201212 FOODA New Local Marinade that Makes Perfect Teriyaki
I have just discovered my new
favorite marinade sauce. Rick
Green, of Ballston Lake Apiaries,
has outdone himself with his new
Saratoga Honey-Teriyaki
Concentrate. Used as a marinade,
the flavor is sweet, tangy, fresh and
light. The taste of ginger comes
through nicely and there is a mild
garlic twist to it. Most of all, it is
light in salt and absent of the bitter
aftertaste that one sometimes gets
with low-quality soy and teriyaki
sauces. There is no one dominating
flavor, just a beautiful blend of all
the ingredients: soy sauce, honey,
wine vinegar, orange juice, sesame
seeds, ginger and garlic. Rick has
put together everything needed in
wonderful proportions for a superb
teriyaki marinade.
Since buying my first jar, I have
tried it with great success on grilled
shrimp, steak and vegetable stir-fry.
I suspect it will be just as delicious
on chicken or salmon. I am dying to
try it as a salad dressing (diluted
with oil) over cabbage slaw when
the summer crop arrives. Its uses
seem endless. If you love teriyaki,
you will love this stuff! Hurry to the
Saratoga Farmers’ Market for your
jar of Saratoga Honey-Teriyaki
Concentrate, as supplies are limited.
Honey-Teriyaki TenderloinBeef Kabobs
Ingredients
¾ cup Saratoga Honey-Teriyaki
Concentrate
½ cup sherry
3 tbsp. sake (optional, for those
who like a strong oriental flavor)
1 scallion, sliced (or 1 tsp. of
minced onion)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
(if you like a little “kick”)
1 ½ lbs. tenderloin tips or
boneless strip steaks, cut into 1 to
2-inch cubes
(Choose sustainably-raised local-
beef from one of the three market
meat vendors.)
DirectionsPlace all ingredients, except beef,
in a saucepan and heat through. Set
aside to cool. Transfer to a mixing
bowl; add the beef cubes, stirring to
thoroughly coat beef. Marinate in
the refrigerator for minimum of two
hours, stirring a few times.
When desired marinating is com-
pleted, thread onto skewer, saving
the marinade. (Using two parallel
skewers instead of one prevents
meat from spinning and cooking
unevenly.)
Pour the marinade into saucepan
and bring to boil and cook until
reduced to a syrupy consistency.
Grill the kabobs over direct heat
for 8–10 minutes, turning occasion-
ally, brushing meat with the mari-
nade glaze with each turn.
When done (don’t overcook or
they will be tough), serve immedi-
ately. (I like to have the kabobs with
sticky rice and a green vegetable of
choice.)
Suzanne VoigtFarmers’ Market
Greetings my Foodie Friends!
Today we are taking on the
pizza stone. A new favorite in our
store is the Emile Henry pizza
stone. When we head over to
Kevin and Elizabeth
Chimungbay’s house, we always
wait patiently for Elizabeth’s
great pizza made on the red Emile
Henry pizza stone. Now, they
have four kids, so you have to
fight for your piece because as
Kevin says: “You snooze; you
lose.” Not to be outdone, my
other friends Dave and Laurie
Lowendehale, who also have four
kids, got two stones, so there is a
little less pushing and shoving. I
bet you are asking yourself whose
pizza is better, John? If I reveal
that then I would be denied my
favorite food from one of my
good friends, so I cannot eat pizza
and tell. They are both great!
The pizza stone is made of all
natural materials and is manufac-
tured using Emile Henry's propri-
etary Flame technology. It can
withstand high oven temperatures
and its glaze is micro-crazed,
which contributes to crispy, well-
baked crusts, just like a pizza
oven.
The pizza stone is not recom-
mended for use on the stovetop.
You can cut directly on the glazed
pizza stone without damaging or
scratching the surface, it’s easy to
clean with soap and water, and is
dishwasher safe.
It is designed for use in ovens
(conventional and convection),
grills (gas, charcoal and natural
wood) and can also be used under
the broiler. The pizza stone turns
a grill into an outdoor pizza oven.
In summation, this fantastic
kitchen necessity heats up in 15
minutes, cleans easily, is light-
weight and made in France. It
also comes in four colors: figue
(purple), rouge (red), noir (black)
and olive (green)! Are you crav-
ing a slice of heaven yet?
Remember my friends: “Life
happens in the kitchen.”
Dave, Kevin, when are Paula
and I invited over again?
Take care,
John
A Little Slice of Heaven!
John ReardonCompliments to the Chef
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 15
continued from Page 1
Community Speaks Out In Support of Nursing Home
2011 year-end figures are antici-pated to show a record loss of $8.5million dollars, according to aTimes Union article last week.
Both Yepsen and AssemblymanTony Jordan agree that the on goingbattle to control costs at MaplewoodManor is presently being lost, coststhat place the future of the home inlimbo status. The biggest area ofconcern for all officials is the issueof declining Medicaid reimburse-ments, which have decreased steadi-ly from the state since 2000.
“Nursing homes are underwateralready. Counties are faced withdilemmas. We need to make deci-sions,” said Jordan. “First, can thesecounties handle the costs of thesehomes? Secondly, what will thequality of care be if they do sell?This is hard to measure in terms ofcost. I’m fighting with the state toremove the cost of mandates when itis cheaper to run homes in otherstates,” said Jordan.
“The cost of doing business is upwhile Medicaid reimbursements aregoing down,” added Yepsen. “Thecounty is asked to determine how tokeep it open, how to keep costsdown, and how to bring in revenue,but Maplewood Manor can’t pro-vide services much longer at currentcosts,” she continued.
Other counties locally are facingthe same struggles with their nurs-ing homes.
“No wonder why county nursinghomes are in this [condition],” saidYepsen. “The reason for the wave ofcounty nursing homes facing clo-sure is that the state continues topass the burden of Medicaid costs tocounties unlike all other states,besides California. There is only somuch money available. We can’tafford raised taxes right now either.There’s a defined pool of money towork with,” she added.
Solutions not only forMaplewood Manor, but for afford-able elderly care and housing ingeneral, are what citizens have beenlooking for and asking about.Maplewood Manor is tightening itsadmission process to ensure thatthose being admitted do, in fact,qualify for Medicaid, in order forthe facility to at least receive a par-tial reimbursement for the care theyprovide to residents. This is accord-ing to Diane Brown, administratorof Maplewood Manor.
“If people aren’t on Medicaid andcan’t pay privately, it really costsus,” Brown explained.
But those who don’t qualify forMedicaid are left worried as well.
“My wife has been in severalnursing homes. We weren’t accept-ed into one because we aren’t [eligi-ble for] Medicaid. Now I’ll have topay $45 per day for her care, thisdespite the fact that I have the bestinsurance (Blue Shield’s SeniorBlue) available,” said one area resi-
dent at a Malta town meeting April 12.
Area officials are working to con-trive solutions. The county has hiredthe law firm Harris Beach to assistin consulting and to review thehome’s status comprehensively,using money ear-marked for thesepurposes. It will begin conductingan extensive analysis of the home’sexact running costs in order todetermine what the specific complications are while offering
recommendations for change. “It’s early. It’ll be interesting to
see Harris Beach’s complete analy-sis,” Brown said. “We’re trying tocome up with ways to bring in addi-tional revenue. We’ve already ana-lyzed our supply costs and they arelow in relation to other homes. Weare encouraging and looking at anyand all ideas,” she explained.
Privitization is one option on thetable proposed for the 277-bedBallston Spa facility.
“Meaningful mandate relief is acritical component of the remainingsession. We need it. This is a mostimportant issue because problemscome from [state] mandates,” said Jordan.
Many agree the decision that liesahead is beyond difficult.
“My position is that the decisionis a very local decision and issue.Every county has commonality inthat they are passionate about theresidents of their county’s facility,”offered Jordan.
“The board will make the deci-sion based on all the informationthat has been gathered. They have avery difficult decision to makebecause they have to consider notonly the fiscal issues but the socialissues regarding residents and con-cern for our employees, too,” saidBrown. “It is concerning for every-one, especially employees if theylike where they work.”
The facility maintains the equiva-lent of 315 mostly full-time employ-ees, according to Brown.
“If something does happen in theremaining [legislative] session, ithas to be immediate and significant.Specific steps must be taken now,”urged Yepsen. “I know employeesthere feel weary about the future,I’m sure the residents do as well.Taxpayers and county nursinghomes are losing out,” she said.
Photo by Daniel Schechtman
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 201216
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 17
Spring Fundraising
Walk for H.O.P.E.Homes for Orphan Pets Exist
(H.O.P.E.) is holding a tail-
wagging, fundraising walk
Saturday, April 28. Registration
is $20 and begins at 10 a.m. in
Congress Park. All registered
walkers receive a free tote-bag.
Do your homework-collect
some pledges before you arrive.
Collect $50 in pledges and
receive a free T-shirt; collect
$100 and get a sweatshirt.
Refreshments will be served
and a free professional photo of
you and your pet will be taken!
Great prizes for most
pledges, best wagging tail,
friendliest dog, pet/owner look-
a-like, best smile and best
dressed dog will be awarded.
The walk begins at 11 a.m. rain
or shine, and you do not need a
dog to participate. To download
a pledge form, visit
www.hopeanimalrescue.com.
All money raised helps
H.O.P.E. rescue more animals
facing euthanasia and funds
their vital spay/neuter
programs.
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 201218 HELPING HANDSSpringtime is Rebuilding
Together TimeIf it’s springtime, it’s time for hundreds of vol-
unteers to assist their neighbors in need. Rebuilding Together Saratoga
County is busy planning for National Rebuilding Day along with its
other workdays and wants your support.
National Rebuilding Day is the annual signature event of Rebuilding
Together, the leading national nonprofit working to preserve affordable
homeownership by bringing volunteers and communities together to
rehabilitate the homes of low-income homeowners. National
Rebuilding Day is April 28 and is the day when affiliates from all parts
of the country plan projects to celebrate the organization’s mission and
to bring national attention to the plight of America’s low-income home-
owners and the communities in which they live. National Rebuilding
Day is the culmination of a year of planning, evaluating, training,
organizing and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of community volun-
teers. It is embraced by community leaders and national corporate
sponsors as a way of bringing immediate impact to America’s commu-
nities in a single day.
Locally, Rebuilding together Saratoga County will be working on 38
projects throughout the county this spring, which will include 32 home-
owners, five community centers and one park. RTSC Executive
Director Michelle Larkin expects 400-500 volunteers this spring. “It’s
humbling to have so many volunteers come back for their ninth year in
a row and help their neighbors in need, and they do it with a smile! This
community is blessed to have so many willing to be involved.”
Locally, spring work dates are April 21, 22, 28, 29 or May 5, 6. You
can call the office at (518) 587-3315 or email michelle@rtsaratoga.org
with the day you’d like to help. If you are not handy with a hammer
you can donate $25 via RTSC’s website to pay for a work crew lunch.
Flower and Fruit Mission’s Spring
Luncheon108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga SpringsThe Flower and Fruit Mission of Saratoga Hospital will be hosting
their annual Spring Luncheon Tuesday, May 15 at the Hall of Springs.
This year’s theme is "The Madhatter Spring Luncheon" and guests are
encouraged to wear their favorite hats. Social hour begins at 11:30 a.m.,
with time to mingle and enjoy the display of silent auction and raffle
items, followed by a seated lunch catered by Glen Sanders Mansion.
Tickets are $50 and reservations may be made by contacting Heather
Mabee at (518) 225-2216 prior to May 5.
Pictured are the event coordinators from left to right: Julie Johnson, Patti O'Toole and Michele Funiciello.
Autism Information Fair and CarnivalSkidmore College Gymnasium, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga SpringsASPIRe N.Y., inc., Skidmore College Psychology Department, The
Parent Network of the Capital Region and Saratoga Bridges are happy to
present the 1st Annual Autism Information Fair and Carnival April 29.
The event will take place from noon- 4 p.m.
The fair will have fun for the whole family; there will be a bounce
house, arts and crafts, carnival games and a quiet area. Over 40
exhibitors will be in attendance, including camp, therapeutic and pre-
kindergarten to college-level school programs, technological applica-
tions and more.
Community CoffeeSaratoga Coffee Traders is
selling “The Giving Bean,” an
organic, fair trade coffee that can
be purchased at the store by the
bag, with part of the proceeds
going to the Franklin
Community Center! Stop by
Saratoga Coffee Traders and
pick up a morning perk-up and
help the center.
Luminaries for
Relay for LifeAt the June 8-9 Relay for Life
in Saratoga, decorated luminary
bags bought in memory of a
loved one or in honor of a loved
one who has survived cancer
will line the track through the
night for the walkers.
These special bags are avail-
able for only a $5 donation to
the American Cancer Society
and can be bought at the Elks
monthly flea market/garage sale
this Sunday, April 22, 2012,
from 11-3:30 p.m. at the Relay
for Life table. Admission to the
market is free and every dollar
raised helps find a cure. For
more information, call Debbie
at (518) 885-6506.
American Legion
Donny Elvis
ConcertAmerican Legion, Clancy St.,
SchuylervilleOn Saturday, April 21, at 7
p.m., a two-hour Donny Elvis
concert, sponsored by the
Knights of Columbus and the
Catholic Daughters of the
Americas Court 396, will take
place. Tickets are $15 per per-
son. Doors open at 5 p.m. Door
prizes and a 50/50 drawing will
be held. Sale of beverages and
snacks will benefit the
American Legion. For more
information, call Marie Foster
at (518) 695-5609.
Crossword
Scrabblegram See puzzle solution on page 29
See puzzle solution onpage 29
ACROSS1 Hidden drawback6 “Hold your horses!”10 Clean, as erasers14 Like Cirque du Soleil performers15 Takes outside16 First name in country17 Starting pitcher?19 “__ Almighty”: Steve Carell sequel20 Clothes line21 CIO partner22 Antioxidant-rich veggies23 Strike zone?27 __ Schwarz30 Wahine’s strings31 Ballot abbr.32 Dispense in shares34 Like some brides39 Short stop?42 Line through the middle43 Matter makers44 NL East city, on scoreboards45 New Deal fig.47 Eastern theater genre48 Left field?54 Crammer’s concerns55 Over there, quaintly56 Chianti, in Chianti60 Year in Trajan’s reign?61 Batter?64 Go off65 Fanny __66 Worth of the theater67 CNBC topic68 Easter celebration69 When brunch may begin
DOWN1 Musical with Mungojerrie2 Flu symptom3 “Bossypants” writer Fey4 Move up5 Mother __6 Shilly-shally7 Garlicky mayo8 Like the vb. “go,” e.g.9 Cluck of reproach10 Fish hamper11 Rank
12 Peter out13 Cultivated violet18 Goggle22 Getting up on the wrong side of bed,
say24 Lasts longer than25 Lake Nasser feeder26 Migratory antelopes27 Saudi royal name28 Et __: and others29 Gold medalist Korbut33 Omega, to a physicist34 “I’m c-c-cold!”35 Noodle topper?36 Monopoly token37 Sought-after clownfish38 Nasty cut
Your children need your presence morethan your presents.
Jessie Louis Jackson
Words to know:quantum - n, A specified amount.
Sudoku
40 “__ girl!”41 Use one’s outside voice45 Rushes (to)46 Delany of “China Beach”48 Get the hang of49 “Negatory!”50 Premarital posting51 Hog the spotlight52 Does a film editing job53 Six-time U.S. Open winner57 “How __ Your Mother”: CBS sitcom58 Half a round59 The yoke’s on them61 EPA meas.62 Top bond
rating63 Optima maker
Broom Hilda
Animal Crackers
See puzzle solutions on page 29
Gasoline Alley
Mirror MirrorImagine the oldest fairy tale there is. Have you got it? No, not
that one. Have you got it now? Yeah, that’s it. Now ask yourself if itcan be made into a movie, again? The brain trust at Relativity Media asked themselves thatquestion and came back with a resounding yes.
Snow White (played by Lily Collins) is the only child of a benevolent king, referred to onlyas the King (played by Sean Bean) and his late wife who, except for the detail that she diedwhile giving birth to Snow (Collins), is not referred to at all. The King was raising Snow sothat she might one day rule over the kingdom, but he was consumed by a beast known toinhabit the woods long before that could happen. With the King gone and Snow not yetready to take the throne, the duty passed to his wife Clementianna (played by Julia Roberts).With her husband gone, Snow is the only threat to the Queen’s rule, so she keeps her con-
fined to the castle. When speaking to Snow, she claims it’s for safety reasons, but when her subjects inquire about the mat-ter, she makes it appear as though the princess they’ve never seen is in a fragile state as a result of either physical or men-tal illness. All the while, her excesses have caused a once happy, wealthy kingdom to turn into a fiefdom in dire financialstraits populated by overtaxed miserable subjects. Her closest advisor, Brighton (played as an obsequious toady by the tal-ented Nathan Lane), informs her that her best hope is to marry a Baron who has made numerous overtures in the past. Butwhile the Baron possesses the wealth she desires, he is older and not particularly attractive. Then, as luck and uncreativestorytelling would have it, a Prince from a wealthy, faraway kingdom (played by Armie Hammer) is robbed, bound andgagged by bandits inhabiting the woods, freed by Snow White, who has left the castle without the Queen’s permission, and
Movie Review
At The MoviesWith
Trey Roohan
PUZZLESPUZZLESPUZZLES
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 19
then brought to the castle by the royal guard so that she might offer an apology and, of course, the King’s vacant seat in the throne.Now, of course, there have been numerous successful films based on fairy tales. Tangled (based on Rapunzel), Beauty and the
Beast, and the original Disney version of Cinderella in a film simply titled Cinderella. While the two older films may not have the sameappeal with the youth audience that Tangled does, they have greater appeal with older audiences, not just because of nostalgia, butbecause they are quality films. So, if you’re a parent and your children have been begging you to take them to this film, make what-ever effort you can to convince them to watch the older classic film or the more recent Disney features based on other fairy tales. Thisone just doesn’t hold up. (5.6/10) For comments and questions, contact me at movies@roohanrealty.com .
Local GigsWeek of 4/20-4/26: Send listings to
entertainment@saratogapublishing.com
Open Mics:•Tue. w/Rick Bolton, 8 pm
@ gaffney’s - 587.7359
•Wed. Open Mic, 8 pm@ putnam den - 584.8066
•Thur. Open Mic, 7 pm@ caffè lena - 583.0022
•Thur. Open Mic, 10 pm@ circus café - 583.1106
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 201222 PULSE
Friday, 4.20:•Blue Angel, 9 pm
@ 9 maple avenue - 587.7759
•Justin Joyner, 9 pm@ bailey’s - 583.6060
•The Schmooze, 9 pm@ bentley’s - 899.4300
•Del Rey, 8 pm@ caffè lena - 583.0022
•Mikki Bakken, 9 pm@ gaffney’s - 587.7359
•Rich Ortiz, 8:30 pm@ irish times - 583.0003
•Forgetting Mikey, 6 pm•Funk Evolution, 10:30 pm
@ jp bruno’s - 745.1180
•John Eisenhart, 9 pm@ the mill - 899.5253
•Black Abbey, 9 pm@ the parting glass - 583.1916
•Just Nate, 6:30 pm@ primelive ultra lounge - 583.4563
•Ryan Montbleau Band, 9 pm@ putnam den - 584.8066
•2096, 9 pm@ van dyck - 348.7999
•New York Players, 8 pm@ vapor - 581.5772
•Tony Jenkins Jazz Trip, 8:30 pm@ wallabee’s jazz bar - 792.8282
Saturday, 4.21:•Marcus Benoit Band, 9 pm
@ 9 maple avenue - 587.7759
•Joe and Travis, 9 pm@ bailey’s - 583.6060
•Even the Odd, 9 pm@ bentley’s - 899.4300
•King’s English @ bullpen - 583.9400
•Pesky J. Nixon & Spuyten Duyvil, 8 pm@ caffè lena - 583.0022
•Acoustic Circus, 9 pm@ gaffney’s - 587.7359
•Hot Cousin, 9:30 pm@ irish times - 583.0003
•Vivid, 10:30 pm@ jp bruno’s - 745.1180
•Kevin & Kate McKrell, 8 pm@ the local - 587.7256
•Hair of the Dog, 8 pm@ the parting glass - 583.1916
•George Giroux, 6:30 pm@ primelive ultra lounge - 583.4563
•Banooba w/High Peaks Band, 9 pm@ putnam den - 584.8066
•DVDJ's Fashion & Fame, 9 pm@ vapor - 581.5772
•Blues Noir, 9 pm@ wallabee’s jazz bar - 792.8282
Sunday, 4.22:•Billy Jonas, 3 pm•Kim Richey, 7 pm
@ caffè lena - 583.0022
Thursday, 4.26:•Becky Walton & Mike Steiner, 9 pm
@ gaffney’s - 587.7359
•Jeff Walton, 6 pm@ horseshoe inn - 587.4909
•Irish Celtic Session, 7 pm@ the parting glass - 583.1916
•Soul Session Duo, 6:30 pm@ primelive ultra lounge - 583.4563
•Buzzard, Sime Geezus, Cryptic, 9 pm@ putnam den - 584.8066
•Tim Pohl, 9 pm@ wallabee’s jazz bar - 792.8282
‘See the Future’
at Caffè LenaSARATOGA SPRINGS -
Come see both Pesky J. Nixon
and Spuyten Duyvil at Caffè
Lena Saturday, April 21 - two of
the country’s hottest folk acts
playing together at the venue’s
“See the Future! Saturday Night
Sampler” show.
Pictured right: Spuyten Duyvil
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 PULSE 23
FIRST ANNUAL PARROT HEAD FESTIVAL COMESTO SARATOGA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
by Daniel SchechtmanSaratoga TODAY
B A L L S TO N S PA / M A R -GARITAVILLAGE - Do youlike Pina Coladas? How aboutgetting caught in the rain? Ifyes, then lucky residents canbegin planning their escape toMargaritavillage June 22-23,when Ballston Spa and theSaratoga County Fairgroundswill host the first annual ParrotHead Festival in honor of theone, and only, Jimmy Buffet.
Marking the official start of
summer in the Capital Region,the Parrot Head Festival will fea-ture a few of the best JimmyBuffet tribute acts in the nation,including the Jimmy BuffettTribute Band. Other musical acts,including local band Robonic,the John Frinzi and John PattiDuo, Changes in Latitudes andmore will take the stage as theday unfolds.
If you like the taste of cham-pagne, or other adult beveragesfor that matter, multiple vendorswill be on hand to help quenchyour thirst.
But the Parrot Head Festivalisn’t exclusive to adults. Theentire family is invited toMargaritavillage (BallstonSpa’s version ofMargaritaville), which willhave a dedicated kids sectionfeaturing live pig races,games, rides, inflatablebounce houses and more.
The Saratoga Fairgroundisn’t the only place to cele-brate all things Buffet. All ofBallston Spa is getting in onthe action, including mini golfat Mill Creek Mini Golf, greatfood and drink specials at theD Line Pub, the island themedLoca Luna with food, drinkand Buffet videos and muchmore. Vote for the best cheese-burger and margarita at the DLine Pub, Loca Luna, SunsetCafe, Factory Eatery andSpirits, the Brickyard andother participating establishments.
Tickets for the festival areon sale now, and can be pur-chased by visiting www.par-rotheadfestival.com, whereyou can also view a completelisting of events, schedulesand vendors.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - TheSaratoga Springs PreservationFoundation is honoring BarbaraGlaser, Randy Martin and NickPalmetto Friday, May 11, fortheir unique contributions to thepreservation and rehabilitation ofSaratoga Springs at the 10thannual Spirit of PreservationCelebration.
The Saratoga AutomobileMuseum will set the stage for the10th Annual Spirit ofPreservation Celebration begin-ning the 11th at 6 p.m. The Spiritof Preservation Awards honorsindividuals who, through theirvision and dedication, fosteredhistoric preservation in SaratogaSprings and contributed to theoverall quality of life. Tickets tothe 2012 10th Annual Spirit ofPreservation Celebration at the
Saratoga Automobile Museumare now available. Tickets are$55 for foundation members/$65non-members or $40 for those 40years or under. Call (518) 587-5030 to reserve your ticket today,or purchase your ticket at thefoundation’s online store atwww.saratogapreservation.org.
The evening will feature acocktail party against the back-drop of the current exhibition atthe Automobile Museum,Porsche: 60 Years of Speed andStyle in North America, as wellas the catering of Kim Kloptock’sThe Lily & The Rose. The cele-bration will also include anawards ceremony for the hon-orees, presented by speakersLinda Toohey and Joseph Dalton,Jr.
This year, Barbara Glaser will
be recognized not only for heradaptive reuse of the chapel, nowSpring Street Gallery and SchoolNo. 4, home to the Foundationand many other nonprofits, butalso for her commitment toretaining a vibrant downtown andpreserving open space inSaratoga Springs. Barbara is afounding member of the OpenSpace Project, now known asSaratoga PLAN, a nonprofitorganization dedicated to pre-serving the "city in the country”through protecting historic, natu-ral and rural spaces as well aslandmarks. Open Space Projectbecame a voice for “smartgrowth,” and an effective advo-cate for preserving the quality oflife of Saratoga.
Nick Palmetto and RandyMartin will be honored for their
30-year business partnership,which allowed them to purchaseand restore many buildings in theheart of Saratoga Springs. Bytaking on less high profile proj-ects, but still rather importantones, Nick and Randy con-tributed to retaining the overallhistoric fabric of downtownSaratoga Springs. Amongst theirlarger projects are: the stabiliza-tion and restoration of theCommunity Theater Building on
Broadway, a building on theNational Register of HistoricPlaces; the adaptive reuse of theBlackmer & Son Building, nowhome to the Saratoga CountyChamber of Commerce and theSaratoga Economic DevelopmentCorporation; and giving TheChildren’s Museum at SaratogaSprings its first home in theirDowntown Marketplace Buildingin 1993.
Spirit of Preservation Award Recipients Honored for Making andProtecting Saratoga Springs History at 10th Annual Gala
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 201224 PULSE
by Daniel SchechtmanSaratoga TODAY
Local Jeweler Jimmy Butts to Compete in Nationwide Challenge
SARATOGA SPRINGS -Local jeweler Jimmy Butts isheaded to Chicago this week-end to compete in the nation-wide Bench PressureChallenge, part of the annualSMART Show that pits the bestjewelers from across the coun-try in a series of head-to-headtime trials. Butts, an employeeat N. Fox Jewelers, was select-ed as one of only four finaliststo compete in the challenge,which will be streamed onlinewith links that can be found atwww.smartjewelryshow.com/contests/bench-challenge.
Butts and the three otherfinalists will be given a seriesof challenges, including carv-ing a wax model ring with an
estate feel; setting stones in apalladium and platinum ring, andhand-engraving another ring onthe last day. Each challenge willbe given a time limit of only twoand a half hours and will bejudged based on the portion completed.
“Judging by what I’ve seen sofar [of the competition], I’m theonly one that actually makes jew-elry by hand,” said Butts, whowill be making his first appear-ance at the challenge. “A few ofthe other guys, what they do isthey render the model in CADCam, and then they have themachine cut the wax for them. Idon’t use CAD Cam at all - Ihand fabricate everything.”
For Butts, who has over 25years of experience as a customgoldsmith, the biggest challengebefore him will be working with-in the set time limit.
“Two and a half hours perproject is really nothing,” saidButts. “It takes a minimum offive to eight hours to makeanything like what they’retalking about that’s worthanything.”
Still, Butts will be up forthe challenge. After all, a for-mer world champion archer,Butts is no stranger to competing.
“I shoot competitivearchery, so I love competitionof any kind,” said Butts. “Anytype of competition - it doesn’t matter. I just love therush.”
Awards will be presentedfor each of the sub-chal-lenges, with an overall winnerbeing picked at the conclusionof the event on Monday.
“I’m looking forward to it,absolutely,” said Butts. “I’vebeen in the business for awhile, but I’ve never been toone of these larger shows.And I love to travel,” headded, “as long as you’re pay-ing for it.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS -The annual SaratogaArtsFestinvites the public to celebrateand support the arts by attend-ing this year’s Prelude event,“Tapas on the Terrace,”Thursday, April 26, from 6-10p.m. at Saratoga National GolfClub.
The Prelude will feature apreview of ArtsFest talent witha chamber music performanceby Duo Sonidos, a striking duoof guitar and violin that willreturn to perform atSaratogaArtsFest in June. Theevening will also offer Spanishdelicacies such tapas, paella,and sangria, as well as a silentauction that highlights the tal-ent of local artists and businesses.
The cost of a standard ticketto the event is $150, while a“junior” admission (age 35 andunder) is available for $75.Tickets include admission tothe Duo Sonidos performanceand an ARTSPASS admissionpackage for theSaratogaArtsFest.
The funds raised throughPrelude directly support themany arts partners that makeSaratogaArtsFest possible andwill help to keep the artsaccessible for everyone in thecommunity.
“Art enriches and enlivensour lives in so many ways. Thefunds raised through Preludehelp to strengthen the vibrantarray of programs offered byour arts partner organizations,”said Mary Ellen O’Loughlin,
executive director of theArtsFest.
Added O’Loughlin, “Inaddition to attending theevent, arts enthusiasts cansupport SaratogaArtsFest on anumber of levels.”
For more information on ways to support the festival, visitwww.SaratogaArtsFest.org/support.
The sixth annualSaratogaArtsFest, June 7-10,will offer a wide variety ofarts experiences, includingmusic, dance, visual art, film,theater and literary art. A $35adult ARTSPASS providesadmission to most events andcultural activities during themultifaceted arts showcase.The pass also provides dis-counts at Saratoga Springsrestaurants and shops duringthe festival, and benefits year-round at area arts organiza-tions. Youth passes, for accessto most festival events, areavailable for $5.
The mission ofSaratogaArtsFest is to pro-mote Saratoga Springs as apremier arts destination. Thefestival is made possible by analliance of community part-ners committed to increasingappreciation and enjoyment ofthe arts, expanding the artsaudience, and strengtheningyear-round cultural tourism inthe Saratoga region.
For more information, emailprelude@saratogaartsfest.orgor call (518) 580-8010.
SaratogaArtsFest Prelude to giveSneak Peak of Summer Festival
photo providedDuo Sonidos will entertain guests at the SaratogaArtsFestPrelude celebration.
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 PULSE 25
BALLSTON SPA - Ballston SpaHigh School’s Theatre club – alsoknown as “Troupe,” will continue atradition started two years ago thisFriday night when it presents itsannual cabaret, “Just Desserts.”With a wealth of talent developed inthe very popular choir, theater andacting classes, Ballston Spa neededan additional opportunity for per-formers to grow, and thus thecabaret was born. This year, Troupeproduced two fully staged musicals(“You’re a Good Man, CharlieBrown” and “Thoroughly ModernMillie”) and will wrap up the seasonwith this showcase of itssinger/actors. Allowing buddingstars to get their moment in the spot-light, this year’s show will featurenew faces alongside more experi-enced cast members.
“Just Desserts” is a cabaret-styleperformance, with an emphasis onsong interpretation delivered by solosingers, small groups and an open-ing ensemble. The show will featurenumbers from contemporary musi-cals and new composers in additionto more familiar songs.
Ballston Spa High School teacherLaurie Larson is in a unique positionto direct this production. In additionto being the choral director for theschool and teaching theater and act-ing classes, she is an experiencedperformer herself. She continues tobe seen on local stages, has
Ballston Spa Troupe PresentsCabaret Evening of ‘Just Desserts’
appeared in cabaret performances inNew York City, and has implement-ed many new performing opportuni-ties for students at Ballston Spa,earning her the district’s Extra MileAward. This year, Larson was castfor “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”But at the heart of it all, she wantsthe students to experience the magicof touching people through song.
“Just Desserts” will be presentedin the high school auditorium at 220Ballston Avenue, Friday, April 20 at
7:30 p.m. The cost for admission is$8 for adults and $5 for students andseniors. Patrons will be able to pur-chase fine desserts at a cost of $4 toadditionally support the fundraisingefforts. All proceeds from the per-formance will support Troupe.
For more information, contactMichaela Wilson at (518) 495-7081or email her atmchaelamom@aol.com.
photo providedJulianne DeGuardi takes the stage during last year’s cabaret perform-ance at Ballston Spa High School.
SARATOGA SPRINGS -The organ and flute ensembleDue Solisti will perform adiverse musical program atSaratoga Springs UnitedMethodist Church Friday, April27, at 7:30 p.m. The programwill include a variety of shortworks, from Richter and J.S.Bach to contemporary com-posers, with some selectionsfeaturing the duo and othershighlighting the instruments insolo form.
Due Solisti brings togetherthe considerable talents ofZofie Vokálková, flutist withthe Czech ChamberPhilharmonic and a facultymember at the PragueConservatory, and KathleenScheide, organist of AllHallows Church, Wyncote, Pa,and a member of the harpsi-chord faculty at WestminsterChoir College in Princeton,N.J. Vokálková is a graduate ofthe Prague Conservatory,where she earned first prizehonors. Dr. Scheide holdsdegrees from the New England
Conservatory and theUniversity of SouthernCalifornia. Both musicians haveplayed extensively in Europe,Asia and the United States andhave made several recordings.
In Saratoga Springs, Ms.Scheide will play the church’sexceptional Frobenius trackerorgan, built in Denmark andinstalled at the church in 1996.The two concerts of theFrobenius Series each year havebeen attracting a growing audi-ence, reflecting both the high-caliber musicians who performas well as the welcoming andrelaxing setting of this contem-porary church. A favorite tradi-tion of these concerts is thefriendly question-and-answersession with musicians duringintermission.
The handicap-accessiblechurch is located off theNorthway Exit 14 at 175 FifthAvenue (corner of HenningRoad, across from BOCES).While there is no admissioncharge for the event, a free-willdonation is encouraged.
United Methodist Church HostsInternational Organ and Flute Ensemble
photo providedDue Solisti, featuring Kathleen Scheide (left) and Zofie Vokálková(right), will perform at the United Methodist Church April 27.
it’s where youneed to be.
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TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 27
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WILTON McGregor Village Apts.SPRING SPECIAL - 1ST MONTH FREE2 bdrm, 1 bath. Cats only. (A/C avail) 518-886-8013 All 1st flr.units includes features for personsw/disabilities required by the FairHousing Act. Now $775/month.
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 201228 CLASSIFIEDREAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE
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PROVIDENCE8003 WILEYTOWN RD.
Glorious Privacy in this 3 bdrm, 2 bath custom cottage on107 acres. Custom built with lumber from the property,wonderful living room w/2 story windows overlooks yourland that backs up to the Adirondack Park, magnificent fp!1st floor master suite w/sliding glass door to deck,whirlpool tub and walk in closet. 2 large bdrms on secondfloor with full bath. Views, porches, ponds and more! Huge,walkout basement, with lots of windows, could be finished.A little slice of heaven only 15 mi. from Saratoga!Jane W. Mehan587-4500jmehan@roohanrealty.comRoohanRealty.com
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SARATOGA SPRINGS22 PATRICIA LA
Located on a desirable, quiet East side street that is conven-ient to town, East Side Rec, the Wilton Mall and theNorthway. Fantastic 4 bedrooms, 1.5 bath raised ranchoffers spacious rooms, gorgeous hardwoods, breakfast barand neutral paint. Walk in closet in master bedroom couldbe converted to a full bath to create a master suite ifdesired. Taxes reflect Sr. Star exemption.
Jennifer R Johnson588-1392jennj@kw.com
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 SPORTS 29
Send your
sports stories or briefs
to Andrew Marshall,
Sports Editor at
amarshall@saratoga
publishing.com
Puzzle Solutions from p.19
Community Sports Bulletin
Barra wins Liberty League Rookie of the Week Honors
Skidmore College freshman Nick Barra hasbeen named the Liberty League BaseballRookie of the Week after his performanceduring a 4-1 week for the Thoroughbreds.Barra, who hails from Pittsford, New York,moved into the starting lineup and keyed the4-1 week, going 8-for-20 (.400) with nine RBI,six runs scored and two stolen bases.
Photo provided
May Day Soccer Classic at Gavin Park
Kick off your spring with the annual May DaySoccer Classic at Gavin Park in Saratoga SpringsSaturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29. Come outand cheer for over 100 of the top boys and girlssoccer club teamsfrom the New YorkCapital District,M a s s a c h u s e t t s ,Pennsylvania andVermont as theycompete during thetwo-day event.Catch a game ortwo, or just comeout to enjoy thepark. Admission isfree. So make plansfor a fun-filled day ofexciting soccer! Ifyou have any ques-tions, contact thetournament direc-tor, Christina Slade,at (518) 727-4388.
The Saratoga Springs Horse Show is almost here, but they’re still looking for volun-teers to help make it a success. Formerly known as the Saint Clement’s Horse Show,the two-week event has brought some of the world’s best riders to Saratoga Springsto compete for the last 52 years. The first week runs May 2-6, while the second legruns May 9-13. Each week culminates with a $25,000 Grand Prix event. The show is hopeful that with your help, they can continue to bring this event to theSaratoga Springs area for another 52 years. All types of volunteers are needed fromfood service to cleaning - even set up and break down of the festival, in two to four-hour shifts. For more information about volunteering, or to sign up to help with theshow, visit www.saratogaspringshorseshow.com.
THE SARATOGA SPRINGS HORSE SHOW ISLOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS
Core Fitness Grand Opening Event This Weekend
Looking to get fit in time for bathing suit season? Well you’re in
luck, as Core Fitness will be opening its new location this coming
April 21 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The grand opening event gets started
with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:15 a.m. Drop by and meet
the staff, who will be on hand to answer any questions. New class
demonstrations will also be taking place to help you decide
which program is right for you. Sign up for a class and receive a
free giveaway courtesy of Core Fitness. The new location can be
found at 68 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs. For more informa-
tion, call Core Fitness at (518) 583-3488 or visit them online at
www.saratogacorefitness.com.
Damian Fantauzzi
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, April 20, 201230 SPORTS
Sharing Stories from the Sandlot
How many times have we
asked ourselves "what if”? It’s
likely too numerous to count
but maybe it's time to accept
that when we make a decision,
we need to make it work for
ourselves and those who
might be affected by the
choice we make. My lead is
about the many stories that
you might hear from former
high school or collegiate ath-
letes who always say that if
this happened instead of that,
I would or would not be doing
this.
What do I mean? Take
myself for example: if I was
6’ 8”, I would have played in
the NBA. Since I'm 6' 1", this
particular "what if" never hap-
pened. There are no stories
about how good I would have
been, because I was as good
as I was, and that's the end of
my trip to find the ring! Not
everyone who plays basket-
ball is 6'8" and of course, none
of us are as good as Michael
Jordan or LeBron James. Most
all the high school athletes or
"superstars" should be happy
with the fun they had, the run
they experienced and their suc-
cess as a high school player,
whether it was JV or varsity.
Maybe even the success that
comes from levels like little
league baseball, Pop Warner
football, biddy/CYO basketball
and youth hockey should be
theirs. The memories will live
in the hearts and minds, hope-
fully with the fondness that is
meant to be!
I can remember when I was
in junior high and high school
when some of my buddies and I
would get together and play
those really fun games in some-
one's driveway or at the local
park. In the driveway, we
would have 3-on-3 or 4-on-4
basketball games, and, if there
was a bunch of us, we would
have three or four teams rotat-
ing at once. At the end of a
Saturday afternoon, with the
playing time of maybe three to
four hours, we had had a heck
of a good time. There were no
coaches, no interviews with the
sportswriters and there weren't
many fans to cheer us on. In the
fall, if we had enough people to
play, we arranged to meet at the
park to play tackle football.
Oddly enough, without the
equipment of today's players
nobody ever got hurt, but that's
not to say that we weren't sore
afterward!
In the spring, we’d play
baseball. Sometimes we would
only have 10 players (five on a
team) but we had different
rules such as opposite field hits
were outs and a hit back to the
pitcher, with a man on base was
an automatic double play.
Depending on circumstances
we would sometimes make the
rules up as play progressed!
Monday in school there wasn't
any fanfare about our weekend
games. What happened on
Mondays and during the course
of the week was the planning of
next weekend's games. Teams
weren't chosen beforehand
because it was the best way to
make fair teams! Sometimes,
someone would come late and
it was worked out among the
group where that person would
fit, to keep the teams competi-
tive.
Eventually, some of us kids
became star athletes for our
school and a few even went on
to play at the collegiate level.
For the most part, there weren't
a lot of stories of "what if"
because we had memories of
the fun we had playing togeth-
er in our sandlot games. It was
good clean fun. Some of my
friends did not go on to achieve
greater athletic fame, but what
they experienced was the same
euphoria of participation and
gratification of having played
whatever sport we were all
involved in.
There is no story to tell or
"wannabe" tales about the
"what ifs" that can be fabricat-
ed by anyone. It was the expe-
rience of playing and it was
just plain fun. There is no
one to impress and there isn't
anyone who actually wants to
hear "war stories" about how
good you could have been or
in actuality, wished you
were! There is nothing to be
proven; you are who you are
and you may not have been as
good as others who you
chummed around with in
your youth. That doesn't
make you a lesser person.
Does it really matter how
good you thought you should
have been or wished you
were? What really matters is
that you played and had fun
while doing it, no matter
what level of team or back-
yard player you were! Why
does it have to be a pity
party? Things can happen in
sports where there is no con-
trol of what might happen,
like injuries.
What really matters in the
sports you played, is having
the experience. There is no
need to tell stories to friends,
relatives or people you barely
know of how good you could
have been, if this hadn't
occurred or that had hap-
pened! I would have been a
star in the fantasy world of
"what if" athletics. An adult
question is to ask yourself is:
“When I was younger, was it
fun to play sports, and is
there is nothing but fond
memories from that experi-
ence?" The gratification of
playing with old friends is all
one needs to remember. I
know in my experiences with
all of the sandlot sports and
games that I played before I
graduated into more organ-
ized athletics, the process
was worth everything to me.
It was the achievement from
playing and later the involve-
ment of being on the team
that still lives for me. What if
I was 6' 8"? What if I could
have Jerry West teach me?
Alas, I wasn't and he didn't,
but I still had fun playing my
favorite games! Forget being
an all-star. The best award
that I ever won was, "All-
Backyard.” Which leads me
to this: What if... I had a 3-
foot high trophy for my
bedroom?
Eleven athletes from the Jason
Morris Judo Center (JMJC) in
Glenville will head down to Irving,
Texas, to compete at the U.S. Senior
National Judo Championships being
held April 21-22 at the Irving
Convention Center. Leading the way
will be JMJC's Nick Kossor, 26, and
Natalie Lafon, 31, who will be look-
ing for their third national titles,
respectively. A Burnt Hills High
graduate, Kossor missed the event
last year due to an injury, but took the
60-kilogram title in 2008 and 2010.
Lafon will be defending the 52-kilo-
gram title she won last year. She also
was the 48-kilogram champion in
2008. Burnt Hills High Graduate,
Hannah Martin, 23, will be looking
for her first national title, having
taken two silvers (2007, 2009) and
two bronzes (2008, 2010). Brad
Bolen, 23, will be going in as the
number-one seed and will be seeking
his first 66-kilogram national title,
having taken a silver in 2011 and
bronze in 2009. This will serve as a
warm-up for Bolen as the following
week he will join JMJC teammates
Nick Delpopolo, 23, and Kyle
Vashkulat, 21, at the Pan Am
Championships in Montreal, Quebec.
Bolen and Vashkulat are in a position
to qualify for the London Olympics
this summer with a good perform-
ance. Delpopolo will have a fight-off
with Mike Eldred on May 12 in
Miami to earn a spot on the United
States Olympic team. Cammi Kaichi,
24, was a 52-kilogram bronze medal-
ist last year and will challenge her
JMJC teammate Lafon for the title.
Also competing for the JMJC will be
Tony Sangimino, 21, who will be
seeded number-four at 81-kilogram
and Dave Harris, 26, who is seeded
number-11 at 73-kilograms. Brice
Rudat, 23, will be unseeded at his
second trip to nationals at 90-kilo-
grams. Burnt Hills Junior, Jack
Hatton, 16, and Joe Martinez, 19, will
be competing at their first Nationals.
Hannah Martin
photo by Lou DiGesare
Athletes fromthe Jason Morris
Judo Centerpreparing forU.S. Nationals
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, April 20, 2012 SPORTS 31
by Andrew MarshallSaratoga TODAY
Rodriguez’s Complete Game Fuels Black HorsesThe senior’s impressive one-hitter was enough to defeat the visiting Greenwich Witches in a Wasaren League matchup.
EVERYBODYLOVES RAYMOND
Senior startingpitcher RayRodriguez turnedin an extremelysolid performancewhen his teamneeded it, to grabtheir first win of theseason, and get onthe board inWasaren LeaguePlay.
Photo by MarkBolles.com
SCHUYLERVILLE – The
Schuylerville Black Horses varsity
baseball team needed a big game
from starting pitcher Ray
Rodriguez against the visiting
Greenwich Witches, who entered
the game batting .330 as a team on
the season. Rodriguez responded
like a true ace, tossing a complete
game one-hitter with five strikeouts
to lead Schuylerville to the 2-1 vic-
tory. Rodriguez delivered at the
plate as well, getting the rally start-
ed in the sixth inning with a one-out
single and scoring the tying run.
This would lead to Austin Cook
providing the pinch-hit two-out
RBI single to put the Black Horses
up for the rest of the day.
For the statistics junkies out
there, Greenwich’s .460 on-base
percentage shows their hitters were
not only making contact this sea-
son, but remaining patient at the
plate and drawing walks.
Greenwich would only manage
three walks against Rodriguez, who
didn’t allow many balls to leave the
infield on the afternoon.
His Greenwich counterpart was
starting pitcher Jason Flynn who
threw five scoreless innings before
the two-run sixth inning. He was
tagged with the loss, scattering
seven hits while striking out three
in six innings of work.
The game started promising
enough for Schuylerville, as
sophomore Patrick Castle would
double to left field, followed by a
Rodriguez single in the bottom of
the first inning. Flynn would work
himself out of the jam, and did not
allow a run to score.
Schuylerville‘s Austin Anderson
and Castle would pull off an
impressive play to run down
Greenwich’s John Barnes attempt-
ing to score after tagging up at
third. Barnes had reached base on
the only base hit allowed by
Rodriguez. The Witches’ lone run
came as a result of two of
Rodriguez’s walks, with Tony
Giroux sacrificing to take a 1-0
lead.
This was the first win for
Schuylerville this season, having
dropped both previous games
they’d played. All three games
were against Wasaren League
opponents. On the other side, this
was Greenwich’s first loss of the
season, falling to 6-1 overall, with a
2-1 record in Wasaren League play.
Schuylerville will prepare for the
upcoming Gloversville Baseball
Tournament, hosted by
Gloversville High School. The
Black Horses take on the host
Huskies at 10 a.m. on April 21.
Fonda-Fultonville will host
Broadalbin-Perth also at 10 a.m. at
Fonda-Fultonville High School.
The losers of the respective games
will play at 1 p.m. at Husky Field,
while the championship game will
take place at 4 p.m. that same
afternoon.
FIST PUMPS ALL AROUND- Ryan Mulligan celebrated afterhe scored the go-ahead run after Austin Cook’s pinch-hit single in the bottom of the sixth inning April 17.
Photo by MarkBolles.com
32Friday,
April 20, 2012sports
Vol. 7 • Issue 16 • FREE • Saratoga TODAY
Volunteers pg. 29Judo in Texas pg. 30
Photos by MarkBolles.com