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Saratoga Today for all your local news and information on whats happening in Saratoga
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10,000 copies distributed weekly • To Advertise Call • (518) 581-2480
Racing for VLTs
FF RR EE EE Volume 5 • Issue 31 saratoga.com/today
Inside TODAY...
See Good Scout page 29
by Yael Goldman
Saratoga TODAY
See Lottery page 5
by Yael Goldman
Saratoga TODAY
New Voting Boothspg 6
Obituariespg 8
Pulsepgs 10-17
Winner’s Circle pgs 22-27
Out of Kuwait:A Local Soldier’s Story pg 28
Your Home pg 35-40
BUDGETS:• State budget passes• Saratoga Springs capital
budget made public
Lottery chooses Genting : What’s Next?
In the sprint to secure revenue
before it’s too late, the desperate and
indebted New York Racing
Association cleared another hurdle
this week, but there’s still more to
come.
Finally, a decision made by dead-
line: New York State Lottery proud-
ly announced on Tuesday, August 3
that Genting New York’s proposal
had won the hearts of its Evaluation
Committee, making the Malaysian-
based gambling enterprise the rec-
ommended VLT operator at
Aqueduct Race Track.
In a letter sent to Governor David
Paterson, Gordon Medenica, NY
Lottery Director said “Genting’s
proposal was impressive on many
levels,” and “reflects a deep and
insightful understanding of the
opportunity and challenges of
Aqueduct.”
Financial challenges to be precise.
Genting’s proposal, which received
a score of 95 out of 100, was rein-
Scout’s Honor
Ray O’Conor is this year’s Saratoga District Good Scout
Award recipient and he is not even a Boy Scout.
The award is presented to an individual who exemplifies
the ideals of the national organization in all aspects of their
daily life, Bob D’Avignon, Twin Rivers Council District
Director, said.
This year, the Saratoga District of Boy Scouts of America
Organization Turns 100 andRecognizes Local Businessman
SeeBudgetpg 7
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, August 6, 20102
Funny Cide in SaratogaOne of Saratoga’s most famous
horses is making an appearance in
his hometown this week. Funny
Cide – the only New York-bred to
have won the Kentucky Derby and
Preakness Stakes – has been in town
since Tuesday, August 3 and will
stay through Sunday, August 8, giv-
ing racing fans and horse lovers a
chance to meet the celebrated race-
horse. He is even being named guest
star at Fasig-Tipton’s “Weanling to
the Winner’s Circle” seminar at the
Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion on
Sunday, August 8 at 9 a.m., with
registration held at 8:30 a.m.
Funny Cide is the popular gelding
who was named the 2003 Champion
Three-Year-Old Male.
“The last time he was in Saratoga
was two years ago, and he’s certain-
ly a fan favorite,” said Jack
Knowlton, managing partner for
Sackatoga Stable. “We’re real
happy to have the opportunity to let
his fans come out and meet him.”
Aimed at prospective thorough-
bred owners, “Weanling to the
Winner’s Circle” will also feature
recently retired jockey Richard
Migliore, Hall of Fame trainer Nick
Zito, and consignor Becky Thomas.
The seminar is free to attend and
tickets are available by calling the
New York Thoroughbred Breeders
at (518) 587-0777 and at the NYTB
booth at Saratoga Race Course.
For his stay in Saratoga County,
Funny Cide has taken up temporary
residence at Old Friends at Cabin
Creek: the Bobby Frankel Division,
and fans will be able to visit with
him and the other horses at the farm
during three open houses this week.
The farm will be open to visitors on
Saturday, August 7 from noon to 3
p.m.
Visitors will learn about how they
can help the farm through dona-
tions, by sponsoring a running shed,
and by volunteering. Tickets to
“Weanling to the Winner’s Circle”
will also be offered.
Cabin Creek, which officially
opened July 22, is the home of
Thunder Rumble and Will’s Way,
making it the only farm that hosts
two Travers Stakes winners. Other
residents at Cabin Creek are Cool N
Collective, Karakorum Patriot,
Midnight Secret, Moonshadow
Gold, Red Down South, Watchem
Smokey, and Zippy Chippy.
The farm, located at 483 Sandhill
Road in Greenfield Center is a satel-
lite of Old Friends Equine, which is
located in Georgetown, KY. For
more information about Old
Friends, visit www.oldfriendse-
quine.org.
Funny Cide’s visit was made pos-
sible by Jack Knowlton, the
Kentucky Horse Park, whose Hall
of Champions representative John
Veague accompanied him on his
flight to New York, H.E, and Sutton
Forwarding and Brookledge, who
provided transportation.
Pho
to p
rovi
ded
by
NYR
A.c
om
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, August 6, 2010 BLOTTERcriminal mischief, a class-E
felony, after he was arrested on
March 8 in Waterford. He was also
placed on interim probation and
will return to court for sentencing
on September 15.
Bernadette R. Rocco, 45, of 16
Leonards Rd., Saratoga Springs,
was sentenced to time served and
five years probation after she
pleaded guilty to a charge of driv-
ing while intoxicated, a class-E
felony. She was arrested on
February 23 in Saratoga Springs.
Michael S. Stephens, 22,
address listed as Community
Court Motel, Saratoga Springs,
was sentenced to six months in
Saratoga County Jail and five
years probation after he pleaded
guilty to a charge of third-degree
criminal possession of a weapon, a
class-D felony. He was arrested on
April 14 in Saratoga Springs.
Denton J. Skiff, 32, of 299
West Circular St., Saratoga
Springs, was sentenced to time
served and five years probation
after he pleaded guilty to a charge
of third-degree burglary, a class-D
felony. He was arrested on March
20 in Saratoga Springs.
Brigitte E. Koziol, 45, of 3
Stage Run, Waterford, was sen-
tenced to five days in Saratoga
County Jail, three years proba-
tion and ordered to pay a $1,000
fine after she pleaded guilty to a
charge of driving while intoxicat-
ed, a class-E felony, and second-
degree criminal contempt, a
class-A misdemeanor. She was
arrested on April 25, 2009 in
Clifton Park.
Heather M. Gates, 32, of 20
Avenue F, Mechanicville, was
sentenced to time served and five
years probation after she pleaded
guilty to a charge of second-
degree attempted assault, a class-
E felony. She was arrested on
March 14 for an incident that
occurred on March 12 in Malta.
Christian G. Gimenez, 29, of
96 Read Park Rd., Lake Luzerne,
pleaded guilty to a charge of
driving while intoxicated, a
class-E felony. He was arrested
on March 6 in Saratoga Springs
and will return to court for sen-
tencing on September 9.
Shawn E. Bouchard, 27, of 11
Arbor Ave., Mechanicville,
pleaded guilty to a charge of
driving while intoxicated, a
class-E felony. He was arrested
on March 17 in Clifton Park and
will return to court for sentencing
on September 9.
Matthew P. McDonald, 29, of
7310 Bennington Dr., Knoxville,
TN, pleaded guilty to the charged
of first-degree aggravated unli-
censed operation of a motor vehi-
cle, a class-E felony and driving
3
while intoxicated, a misde-
meanor, after he was arrested on
May 1 in Clifton Park and will
return to court for sentencing on
September 9.
Barry J. Gronczniak, 44, of
586 Route 9P, Stillwater, was
sentenced to one and a third to
four years in state prison after he
was convicted of driving while
intoxicated, a class-D felony. He
was arrested on November 20,
2008.
- Compiled by Melissa Downer
April M. Allen, 25, of 900 Rock
City Rd., Lot 85, Milton, was sen-
tenced to five years probation after
she pleaded guilty to a charge of
second-degree attempted forgery,
a class-E felony. She was arrested
on December 16, 2009 for an inci-
dent that occurred on July 3, 2009
in Milton.
Rasheen M. McDuffie, 34, of
337 N. Hudson Ave., Apt. 704,
Stillwater, was sentenced to two to
four years in state prison after he
pleaded guilty to a charge of sec-
ond-degree attempted assault, and
60 days in Saratoga County Jail
after he pleaded guilty to the
charge of failure to register, both
are class-E felonies. He was
arrested on May 18 for an incident
that occurred on April 5.
Cody M. Bowker, 21, of 82
Jefferson St., Saratoga Springs,
pleaded guilty to a charge of sexu-
al misconduct, a class-A misde-
meanor after he was arrested on
July 3, 2009 in Saratoga Springs.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge
of first-degree rape, a class-B
felony and second-degree rape, a
class-D felony. He was arrested
for this incident on July 14 and 15,
2009 in Saratoga Springs. He will
return to court for sentencing on
September 27.
Shannon M. Waite, 35, of 9
Hemlock Dr., Greenfield Center,
was pleaded guilty to a charge of
driving while intoxicated, a class-
E felony, after he was arrested on
July 16 in Greenfield. She will
return to court for sentencing on
September 30.
Jacob W. Lapasinskas, 20,
homeless, was sentenced to one to
three years in state prison after he
was charged with third-degree
grand larceny, a felony. He was
arrested on May 3.
Chad C. Fitzgerald, 33, of 110
Maple Ave., Apt. 2, Corinth, was
resentenced to one and a half years
in state prison with credit for time
served and 10 years of post release
supervision after he was found to
be in violation of the terms of his
parole. He was originally sen-
tenced to six months in Saratoga
County Jail after he was convicted
of third-degree criminal sex act, a
class-E felony.
Guy J. Pucci, 36, of 34 Hudson
St., Apt. 2, Waterford, pleaded
guilty to a charge of third-degree
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, August 6, 2010
4 BBUUSSIINNEESSSS
the menu in both price
and style."
Next year, Sandra
Foster, owner of The
Village Pizzeria and
Ristorante hopes to
achieve the second-tier
award, Best of Award
of Excellence. This is
her third year winning
the Award of
Excellence.
"Wine is a focal
point of our restau-
rant," she said. "All
of our staff has
taken courses with
master sommeliers
(wine stewards)
and we travel to
Italy and
California each year to learn
more and to meet winery owners to
establish relationships with them."
This year, 2,880 establishments
won the Award of Excellence and
only 788 won the Best of Award of
Excellence. It is a requirement to
have excellent breadth of wines
over several growing regions, and
Foster said that she believes her
restaurant has what it takes to win
the more prestigious award.
The Village Pizzeria and
Ristorante hosts educational wine
paring dinners for the public fre-
quently and hosts the "Toast to the
Ta Tas"
event to support the Avon Breast
Cancer Foundation with wine tast-
ings, dinner, entertainment, raffles
and a silent auction on August 16
from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with tickets
costing $35.
"We try to do a lot to educate the
public and give to important caus-
es," Foster, who is a breast cancer
survivor, said.
According to Wine and Spirits
Manager Jon Vetter of Wheatfields
Restaurant and Bar, having eight
local restaurants win an internation-
al award says a lot about the quality
of local businesses.
"As a small resort community, for
eight restaurants to win this title, it's
incredible," he said. "You can go to
Las Vegas where every restaurant
has awards for their wine selection
but we are a small city. This is just
another reason why Saratoga
Springs is becoming a year-round
resort destination. It says a lot about
the commitment to quality and hos-
pitality we all have."
At Wheatfields Restauant and
Bar, Vetter said that while they
carry nationally and internationally-
known brands of wine, they also
search far and wide to find high
quality yet lesser known wines as
well.
"For instance, Avalon Cabernet
comes from the Napa Valley, and it
is by far the best bottle of wine I've
ever had that costs less than $50.
You can't find a better one in my
opinion," he said. "We rack sources
and distributors to find off-the-beat-
en-path wines at a reasonable cost,
and we think that may attribute to
our winning the award."
Matthew D. McDonaldJoins Saratoga Hospitalas New Surgeon
Matthew D. McDonald, DO,
G e n e r a l
Surgeon, has
joined the
medical staff
of Saratoga
Hospital.
D r .
McDonald is
p r a c t i c i n g
with Saratoga
Surgical Associates. Prior to
arriving in Saratoga, he was the
Chief of General and Bariatric
Surgery as well as Critical Care
at Keller Army Community
Hospital at West Point. He
completed an internship and
residency in general surgery at
SUNY Upstate Medical Center,
Syracuse, NY. Dr. McDonald
earned his medical degree from
New York College of
Osteopathic Medicine. He is
Board Certified in General
Surgery.
For more information or for a
referral, please call
HealthSource at (518) 580-
2450 or 1-866-580-2450 (toll
free).
Saratoga Hospital and
Saratoga Care Nursing Home,
affiliates of Saratoga Care, Inc.,
are a 207-bed community hos-
pital and nursing home
designed to serve as Saratoga
County's community health
resource. Saratoga Hospital is
the first hospital in Capital
Region to achieve the Magnet
Designation for nursing excel-
lence. The hospital has over
320 admitting physicians and
offers more than 30 medical
specialties and extensive clini-
cal services. Saratoga Hospital,
dedicated to providing a contin-
uum of healthcare services to
the people of Saratoga County,
includes Wilton Medical Arts,
Malta Medical Arts, Saratoga
Surgery Center, Mollie Wilmot
Radiation Oncology Center,
Saratoga Family Physicians,
The Saratoga Center for
Endocrinology and Diabetes,
Saratoga Hospital Pain
Management Center, Saratoga
Family Health, Schuylerville
Family Health and Galway
Family Health. To obtain addi-
tional information on all aspects
of Saratoga Care, go to
w w w. s a r a t o g a c a r e . o r g
<http://www.saratogacare.org/>
on the worldwide web.
Saratoga Springs-nationally
known for health, history, horses
and now wine. Eight local estab-
lishments were listed in Wine
Spectator magazine's "Best
Restaurants for Wine Lovers" sec-
tion that hit the stands this month.
The internationally-known maga-
zine awarded 3,743 restaurants
around the world with this distinc-
tion including Chianti il Ristorante,
The Grey Gelding Bistro and Bar,
Longfellows Restaurant, The Olde
Bryan Inn, Prime at Saratoga
National, The Village Pizzeria and
Ristorante, Wheatfields Restaurant
and Bar and The Wine Bar.
Restaurant owners who have
more than 100 bottles on their wine
list can apply to win this award by
sending a copy of their wine list,
menu and a write-up about the
establishment and their wine pro-
gram to Wine Spectator magazine.
The annual awards are given in
three categories: Award of
Excellence, Best of Award of
Excellence and the Grand Award.
All eight of the local eateries won
the Award of Excellence and
according to winespectator.com, the
winning restaurants "offer a well-
chosen selection of quality produc-
ers, along with a thematic match to
iinn bbrriieeff
McDonald
5 Case St.,
Saratoga Springs,NY 12866
Phone: (518) 581-2480
Fax: (518) 581-2487
www.saratoga.com/today
Hours of operation
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Publisher/Editor
Chad Beatty 581-2480 x 212
General Manager
Robin Mitchell 581-2480 x 208
Advertising
Chris Bushee 581-2480 x 209
Cindy Durfey 581-2480 x 204
Art Department
Tiffany Garland 581-2480 x 213
Sam Bolles 581-2480 x 205
Editorial
Melissa Downer 581-2480 x 203
Yael Goldman 581-2480 x 214
Arthur Gonick 581-2480 x 206
Obits & Anne’s Corner
Anne Proulx 581-2480 x 202
Calendar & Briefs
Kim Beatty 581-2480 x 215
Contributing Writers
Marion E. Altieri
Meghan D. Lemery
Suzanne Voigt
Jill Sweet
Kate Towne Sherwin
Kerry Mendez
Marion Renning & Carol Obloy
Eight Local Restaurants Recieve Awardsfrom Internationally-Known Magazine
by Melissa Downer
Saratoga TODAY
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, August 6, 2010 5
forced by a hearty $380 million
upfront licensing payment –$80
million more than the State had
actually requested – which surely
had a stake in earning the
Committee’s unanimous approval.
Genting said its plans would cre-
ate more than 2,000 construction
and racino jobs, and that once the
racino is fully operational, it will
generate more than $500 million for
New York State each year. And, if
all goes as planned, NYRA is slated
to receive seven percent of the
revenues.
The winning bidder proposes a
facility equipped with two gaming
floors, 4,525 video lottery terminals,
a 2,100-space parking garage, a new
pedestrian bridge to the Aqueduct
subway station, and construction of
a new porte cochere – all of which
Genting will finance without bor-
rowing any funds.
“I would characterize my attitude
as cautiously optimistic that the
Lottery Division was able to reach a
recommendation by its stated dead-
line of August 3. I would hope that
the Governor keeps the process
moving and accepts their recom-
mendation of Genting because the
process still has many hurdles
before we see any revenues,”
Republican Senator Hugh Farley
said.
But NY Lottery only makes the
recommendation.
Even though Genting is the sole
contender vying for control over
Aqueduct’s video gaming facility,
the rest is still up to the State’s leg-
islative leaders. Thus, heavy finan-
cial pressure will remain an incredi-
ble burden for NYRA until, or
unless, Governor Paterson, Senate
Democratic Conference Leader
John Sampson and Assembly
Speaker Sheldon Silver give the
final nod of approval.
“[NYRA] is encouraged by the
New York State Division of the
Lottery’s timely selection of
Genting New York LLC to develop
and operate the VLT facility at
Aqueduct Race Track. The commu-
nity surrounding Aqueduct has
expressed support for Genting’s
plans, and we trust that the leaders
of the State Assembly and Senate
will approve the lottery’s recom-
mendation at their earliest opportu-
nity,” Charles Hayward, NYRA
President and CEO said in a written
statement.
However, the wait for Patterson
and legislator’s approval is not the
only obstacle left on the track. New
York Lottery made its recommenda-
tion less than a week after Aqueduct
Entertainment Co. appeared before
a state judge to protest its approval
and then disqualification from the
initial process and to request its bid
to be put back in the running.
Judge Barry Kramer dismissed
AEC’s suit, but the company is pur-
suing an appeal, which could dis-
tract legislators from making the
final motions to approve Genting.
While the Lottery’s recommenda-
tion signifies landmark progress in
the slow-moving yet selection
process, NYRA is still in a danger-
ous situation. Without the money
generated from the VLTs, NYRA
faces fiscal insolvency, ultimately
spelling disaster for the New York
thoroughbred industry.
And, as Genting’s proposal states:
the racino would generate hundreds
of in revenue for New York in a sin-
gle year, which means every day is
another dollar lost.
“Get it done, and do it honestly,
Senator Roy McDonald said. “This
needs to be completed as soon as
possible to support the racing indus-
try in New York The incompetence
of this project has gone on way too
long and has spanned the terms of
governor’s from both party’s. We
need to support racing, the delays
thus far are unacceptable and have
hurt not only the racing industry but
also the tourism industry of New
York.”
continued from Page 1
Lottery Recommends VLT Operator On Time
“I would characterize my attitude
as cautiously optimistic that the
Lottery Division was able to reach
a recommendation by its stated
deadline of August 3.”Hugh Farley
New York State Senator
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, August 6, 20106
by Melissa Downer
Saratoga TODAY
Thie election year, citizens in
Saratoga County will be using a
new system to cast their votes in
the upcoming primary and gener-
al elections. It’s time to say
goodbye to the old voting system
behind a curtain and hello to a
new computerized system.
The ImageCast Optical Scan
Voting System is a portable vot-
ing machine used in Saratoga
County with at least one ballot
marking device (BMD) assigned
at the polling place. Inspectors
are also required to be at polling
sites to assist voters when
necessary.
Voters will obtain a preprinted
ballot containing all of the candi-
dates and different contests they
are campaigning for. These will
be given to voters by the polling
inspector. Once voters have
received their ballot they will be
directed to privacy booths to
mark ballots with a special mark-
ing pen. Once the ballot has been
completed, they will be placed in
a privacy sleeve and taken to the
ImageCast system to be scanned.
The marked paper ballot will
then be inserted into the
ImageCast Ballot Counter which
reads the ballot and deposits it
into an internal compartment
within the ballot box. The screen
on the ImageCast will let voters
know that their ballot is being
scanned and when their votes are
properly accounted for. There
will be other devices available to
assist the visually impaired or
disabled voters. There is also an
option display screen that can be
turned on at the beginning of the
voting session to allow voters to
view their ballot and make sure
they have made their proper
selections. This also has privacy
barriers.
The screen will also show vot-
ers how to add write-in votes as
well. Once the session is com-
pleted, the BMD will print a
marked ballot based upon the
individual voter’s selection and
is placed into a privacy sleeve. At
this point, the ballot is ready to
be inserted into the ImageCast's
ballot scanning station, just like
the paper ballots. A screen will
prompt voters to choose if they
want an audio/visual session for
a final review. When satisfied,
voters then cast their ballot. They
are automatically deposited into
the same internal component as
all of the other ballots. When the
polls have closed, the ImageCast
will print the results that include
the number of ballots cast.
The ImageCast is helpful
because it allows a voter with
disabilities to privately and inde-
pendently vote on a paper ballot.
Audio and tactile interfaces
allow voters with sight chal-
lenges to complete their ballot.
Voters can listen to the selections
over headphones, or view an
LCD screen with an image of
their ballot that can be adjusted
for size and contrast. A "Sip-N-
Puff" or paddle device may also
be used by voters with limited
hand dexterity.
Bill Fruci of the Saratoga
County Board of Elections said
that after holding a pilot run of
the new voting machines last
year, they have made significant
changes to ensure that voters
receive their entitled privacy.
A voting machine demonstra-
tion will be held on August 17
from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Saratoga
Springs City Hall.
Important Dates:
Registration for the Primary
Elections held on September 14
must be postmarked by August
20 and September 7 is the last
day to postmark an absentee bal-
lot application.
Registration for the General
Election held on November 2
must be postmarked by October 8
and October 26 is the last day to
postmark an absentee ballot
application.
Mark Bolles • Saratoga Today
Donna Gundersen demonstrates how to use the new votingmachines at Wilton Town Court Monday
New Voting Booths To Be Used This Voting Season
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, August 6, 2010 7
by Melissa Downer
Saratoga TODAY
State Passes Budget, Finally
Prior to the Saratoga Springs City
Council meeting on Tuesday,
August 3, Mayor Scott Johnson pre-
sented a look at the proposed 2011
Capital Program at a public hearing.
A total of eleven projects were
ranked in order of priority, with the
total increase to the debt limit at
$1,199,000. The projects in ranked
order are:
(Requesting Agency /
Project Name/
2011 $ Total)
1- Public Safety (DPS)Workplace Violence Program Building Security Repair$36,000
2- DPS Blood Borne Decontaminationand Cleaning Facilities$64.000
3- DPS Lake Avenue Fire Station Roof
$120,000
4- Public Works (DPW)* Beekman Street InfrastructureImprovement and Replacement$800,000
5- DPWVacuum/ Sewer Cleaning Truck$225,000
6- DPS Civilian Fingerprinting Equipt.$19,000
7- DPWCanfield Casino Rehabilitation$300,000
8- DPWPublic Works GarageRehabilitation$175,000
9- DPWCity Building and Facilities: Repair and Upgrades$100,000
10- DPSReflective Sign Project$110,000
11- DPSBrush Truck
One-hundred-twenty-five days
overdue, New York State finally has
a budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal
year.
Though not the latest-ever budg-
et, this one is the third latest with the
record being the 2004-2005 budget
being passed on August 11, 2004.
On Tuesday, August 2, lawmakers
passed the legislation that will add
new taxes on clothing by eliminat-
ing a sales tax exemption on cloth-
ing purchases less than $110 on
October 1 with an expectation that it
will raise $330 million for the state.
There will now be a four percent
sales tax on purchases under $110.
Other tax hikes include sales tax for
online hotel reservation sites and
cutting the amount of charitable tax
deductions over $10 million by half.
The $136 billion budget passed
by a 32 to 28 vote, with a spending
increase of 2.4 percent over last
year’s budget. Governor David
Paterson’s director of
Communications Morgan Hook
issued the following statement:
“Today the state finalized a budg-
et that closes a $9.2 billion budget
gap. This was done primarily
through spending cuts and with no
borrowing. Additionally, for the first
time in State history, we have taken
action – through a FMAP
(Medicaid) contingency plan, which
was championed by the Governor –
in anticipation of a loss of federal
revenue, and put spending cuts in
by Arthur Gonick
Saratoga TODAY
Mayor Makes Public Saratoga Springs 2011 Capital Budget
place to fill the gap. Governor
Paterson has spent the last eight
months fighting for the fiscal health
of New York on behalf of all New
Yorkers. A fiscally responsible
budget will help our State turn the
corner on this economic crisis, and
put us on a path to recovery.”
The state will also increase its
share of revenue from video lottery
terminals and will also allow gam-
ing organizations to extend their
hours.
Though Democrats praise the
budget, Republicans are not so
pleased. Local leaders expressed
similar objections:
“In my opinion, this is one of the
worst budgets the legislature has
ever passed. It will put an extra $4
billion in taxes on state residents
when it is fully implemented, but
still does not address the most
important problems which are
spending and Medicaid costs. Even
the Comptroller has expressed the
opinion that the revenue projections
utilized were wildly optimistic. The
biggest issue remains the process,
because the budget was not done in
an open bipartisan discussion; this is
why I joined every Republican in
the Senate in voting against it” said
State Senator Hugh Farley.
“The only thing real about this
budget is that it’s real bad. It’s espe-
cially devastating to Upstate with an
unfair level of cuts to projects,
human services along with more
taxes, that’s why I voted against it,”
said State Senator Roy McDonald.
“This isn’t the right way to do busi-
ness, the budget was concocted in a
back room, with only one party and
one geographic location represent-
ed, New York City. With complete
disregard to the people and the
process, a handful of legislative
leaders doing the budget in a back
room is completely disgraceful.”
According to Assemblyman Jim
Tedisco, (R,C,I-Schenectady-
Saratoga):
“This year’s late budget was
devised in secret by a ‘Tri-ocracy’
of ‘Three Men in a Room’ – the
Governor, Assembly Speaker and
Senate Conference Leader, and does
nothing more than kick the can
down the road for future generations
of taxpayers. They have kicked the
can down the road so much it has
rusted out and continue to leak huge
amounts of taxpayer dollars.”
He added, “It’s time for Upstate
and Long Island Assembly Majority
members whose districts are most
impacted by high property taxes to
demand that tax cap legislation
move forward just like it has in the
Senate. Real reform, both fiscal and
legislative, will come when rank
and file legislators rise up and retake
the Legislature from the clutches of
the Tri-ocracy.”
$ 50,000
* The Beekman Street
Infrastructure Project will be paid
for by the Water Fund and is not part
of the total debt limit increase.
Two other projects which are
dependent on external funding were
also named. The Mayor’s
Department has scheduled Phase 2
of the Waterfront Park Property
Redevelopment if $800,000 in grant
funding is obtained. The Recreation
Department has scheduled $25,000
in Capital Improvements to the East
and West side recreation fields sub-
ject to School District funding.
Projections on funding needs
through 2016 were also included in
this presentation, although they will
not be formally submitted until
before the individual budget year
and thus might be changed. There
will be two more public hearings
(Wednesday, August 11 at 12:30
p.m. and Tuesday, August 17 at 6:45
p.m.) before the Council votes on
this Capital Program on September
15. The Council is required to vote
on the entire budget by November
30.
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, August 6, 20108 OOBBIITTUUAARRIIEESS
Ruth E. McNultySaratoga Springs, - Ruth E.
McNulty of Northway Court passed
away Thursday, July 22, 2010 at
Mary’s Haven. She was 70.
Born on July 3, 1940 in Corinth,
she was the daughter of the late Ethan
Allen and Beatrice (Viele) Priest and
was a member of the First Baptist
Church of Saratoga Springs. A
machine operator for the General
Foods Company for many years, her
interests included crossword puzzles,
visiting the Yaddo Gardens and
spending time with her grandchildren.
She was an avid NASCAR fan and
loved her family, her numerous neigh-
bors and the various local spring
waters.
In addition to her parents, Ruth was
predeceased by a brother, Burt Priest.
Survivors include her son, Martin
(Tonya) McNulty of Washington, PA;
her daughter and son-in-law, Debora
(Matthew) Diehl of Saratoga Springs;
two brothers, Daniel Priest of Clifton
Park and John Priest of Gansevoort;
four sisters, Harriet Bishop of Middle
Grove, Rebecca Woolley of Saratoga
Springs, Margaret Dickson of
Romona, CA and Janice Escola of
Escondido, CA; three grandchildren,
Steven Diehl, Victoria and Olivia
McNulty; and many nieces, nephews,
great-nieces and great-nephews.
Relatives and friends gathered to
remember her on Sunday, July 25,
2010 at the William J. Burke &
Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral
Homes in Saratoga Springs.
Funeral services were conducted on
Monday morning, July 26 at the
Burke/Bussing Funeral Homes in
Saratoga Springs. Burial followed in
the family plot in Greenfield
Cemetery.
Memorials may be made in her
name to Mary’s Haven, 35 New Street
or to Community Hospice of
Saratoga, 179 Lawrence Street,
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
Online remembrances may be
made at .burkefuneralhome.com.
Saratoga County Deceased Veteren of the Month
John Joseph
Kondrat from the
Town of Providence
served in the U.S.
Army from 1942 to
1945 with the 85th
Infantry Division in
the European
Theater of
Operations. He
earned 3 battle stars.
Mr. Kondrat
retired after 32
years as Highway
Superintendent
for the Town of
Providence. He is
survived by his wife
Eileen, his sons
Joseph, David and
Gary and three daugh-
ters Carol, Shirley and
Joan.
A memorial pro-
gram will be held in
Mr. Kondrat’s memo-
ry on Tuesday, August
17, 2010 at 2:30 p.m.
in the Supervisor’s
Meeting Room of the County
Building at 40 McMaster Street in
Ballston Spa. The public is invited to
attend this ceremony and the recep-
tion that will follow.
Sam Fusto
Saratoga Springs – Sam Fusto of
Christina Court passed away
Thursday, July 22, 2010 at his resi-
dence. He was 86.
Born on June 14, 1924 in Brooklyn,
he was a son of the late Nunzio and
Grace Carano Fusto and attended the
College School of Industrial Art in
New York City. A United States Army
veteran in the European Theatre dur-
ing WWII, he worked in the art
department for the United States Post
Office, being the only artist to have
painted a mural in one post office in
NYC. Sam and his wife moved to the
Saratoga Springs area in1976 and
while enjoying his retirement, he
stayed busy painting murals through-
out many area malls. He was a mem-
ber of Gurtler Brothers Post 420
VFW.
Survivors include his wife,
Josephine Lauricella Fusto of
Saratoga Springs and one sister, Helen
Garcia of Florida.
Relatives and friends gathered to
remember him on Tuesday, July 27,
2010 at Our Lady’s Chapel in the
parish center of St. Clement’s Roman
Catholic Church, followed by a funer-
al service also in the Chapel.
Entombment with military honors
followed in Memory Gardens in
Colonie.
Memorials may be made in his
name to the American Heart
Association, 440 New Karner Road,
Albany, NY 12205.
Arrangements were under the
direction of the William J. Burke &
Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral
Homes of 628 North Broadway (584-
5373).
Online remembrances may be
made at .burkefuneralhome.com.
It is the policy of
Saratoga TODAY to
publish obituaries
as a service to our
readers. Please
send your
obituaries to
Anne Proulx at
aproulx@
saratoga
publishing.com.
Joan Elizabeth TaylorGreenfield – Joan Elizabeth Taylor
of Daniels Road passed away peace-
fully on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at her
residence. She was 74.
Born on Feb. 26, 1936 in Port
Henry, NY, she was a daughter of the
late Ralph and Anne (Esposito)
Salerno and in high school was a vol-
leyball player, cheerleader and voted
Class Venus! A former resident of
Malone, NY, prior to moving to
Saratoga Springs many years ago,
Joan had worked for the late John T.
Roohan in real estate and was a for-
mer employee of Skidmore College.
A communicant of St. Joseph’s
Church in Greenfield Center, she was
a longtime active member of the
Ladies Guild.
In addition to her parents, she was
predeceased by her husband and soul
mate, James F. Taylor, whom she mar-
ried on Oct. 6, 1956. He was taken
from this life much too early on Feb.
9, 1994. She also lost her dear sister,
Mary Ann Saunders, to cancer a few
years ago.
Survivors include her son, Andrew
J. Taylor and her adopted son, Bob
Lane, both of Greenfield Center; her
daughter and son-in-law, Jill Taylor-
D’Andrea and Frank D’Andrea; two
sisters, Rose Capuano and Louise
Wheelock, both of Port Henry; three
brothers, Paul and Pat Salerno of Port
Henry and Joe Salerno of VT; she was
“Grandma Joanie” to many, especial-
ly her three beautiful and talented
granddaughters, Taylor, Quinn and
Zoe D’Andrea; and also survived by
numerous cousins, nieces, nephews
and many loving and dear friends.
Her kindness, generosity and
warmth were unrivaled. She touched
many lives with her thoughtful, caring
ways. She believed it was her mission
in life to take care of everyone around
her - even perfect strangers were wel-
come into her home and in her heart.
As one who never forgot a birthday or
anniversary, she will be deeply missed
and forever remembered by all who
knew her.
Relatives and friends gathered in
her memory on Sunday, August 1 at
the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing
& Cunniff Funeral Homes of Saratoga
Springs.
A Mass of Christian Burial was cel-
ebrated on Monday, Aug. 2, 2010 in
St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church
in Greenfield Center.
Burial followed in the family plot at
St. Peter’s Cemetery in Saratoga
Springs.
Memorials may be made in her
name to benefit children with
HIV/AIDS at St. Jude Children’s
Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place,
Memphis, TN 38105 or to any area
agency that may benefit wounded
service personnel of the US military.
Online remembrances may be
made at burkefuneralhome.com.
Carol Ann Carmody
Greenwich-Carol Ann Carmody,
78, of Greenwich passed away sud-
denly but peacefully into the arms of
her savior Jesus Christ on Saturday,
July 24, 2010 at Glens Falls Hospital,
with her children and grandchildren
by her side.
Born on July 1, 1932 in
Kerhonkson, NY, she was the daugh-
ter of the late George and Mabel
Greene Kortright.
Carol attended nursing school in
Kingston, NY where she received her
RN degree. While working as a nurse
at Glens Falls Hospital, she met and
married her lifetime love, John “Jack”
Carmody, on August 8, 1954.
In 1960, the very same day her son
was born, Jack and Carol opened the
doors to Carmody Ford-Mercury Inc.
in Greenwich, which is still owned
and operated by their son John Jr.
During her 50 years in Greenwich,
Carol participated in many organiza-
tions and activities. She served on the
boards of Mary McClellan Hospital
and the regional Glens Falls National
Bank. Having been raised with little,
Carol loved being overly generous to
her family and to others. Her beloved
pet project was Operation Santa,
which fulfilled her spirit of generosi-
ty. Carol continued to serve as VP of
Carmody Ford, and loved going to
work every day.
Carol loved golfing, and enjoyed
an honorary membership at the
Battenkill Country Club. She also
loved antiquing, gardening, and
cooking for her family and old gour-
met club. She loved impromptu get-
togethers with friends, family and
neighbors, and deeply treasured these
relationships. She was happiest sur-
rounded by the people she loved. Her
loyalty, love, protection and faith
were unwavering. The family thought
of her as their family “rock,” offering
them guidance and help whenever
they needed it. Carol truly appreciat-
ed the simple pleasures of life.
In addition to her parents, she was
predeceased by her husband John
“Jack” Carmody who passed away in
October of last year. Carol selflessly
devoted the past 16 years patiently
caring for her beloved husband; a
brother Frank Kortright also prede-
ceased her.
Survivors include her daughter,
Cindy Spence of Hebron and her son
John (Maureen) Carmody of Argyle;
four grandchildren, Christopher
Spence of North Salem, NY,
Cameron Spence of New Paltz, NY,
and Ethan and Eve Carmody of
Argyle. All of her grandchildren had a
special connection with her. She is
also survived by her brothers, Russell
and Lawrence Kortright of
Kerhonkson, and Robert Kortright of
Wappingers Falls, NY; her sister,
Alice Smith of Ellenville, NY; and
several nieces and nephews.
A funeral mass was celebrated on
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at St.
Joseph’s Church in Greenwich with
Rev. Martin Fisher, officiating. Burial
was held at the Gerald B.H. Solomon
Saratoga National Cemetery in
Schuylerville.
The family wishes to give special
thanks to Dr. Colleen Quinn and the
staff at Glens Falls Hospital whose
intelligence and compassion gave our
mother comfort and dignity.
Memorials can be made in her
memory to the Greenwich Medical
Center or Operation Santa.
Online remembrances can be made
at www.flynnbrosinc.com
John Joseph Kondrat,
T/5, U.S. Army
Saratoga Sponsor-a-Scholar welcomes 2010-2011Scholars
It’s a girl!
This page is dedicated to you,
the families who live, work and
play in our great region. It is
your opportunity to boast
about your kids, announce
your engagement or tell
people about your
accomplishments.
Anne’scorner
FREE
The tooth fairy club is
sponsored by:
Take a look at
this week’s
new club
members
Rachel, age 7
Connor, age 7
Sarah, age 10
Garrett
The Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar
Program (SSAS), in partnership
with the Saratoga Springs City
School District, hosted a celebration
to welcome its third group of 10 stu-
dents who will be enrolled in the
SSAS program as sophomores at the
high school in the fall of 2010.
SSAS board members, administra-
tors from the Saratoga Springs City
School District, sponsors and
donors as well as students, parents
and mentors from the first two
SSAS classes, were on hand to con-
gratulate the new scholars.
Joannia and Jason Richesin of
Saratoga Springs welcomed a baby
daughter, Jenna Rose, on Friday, July
16, 2010. Jenna Rose weighed 8
pounds, .08 ounces and was 20 1⁄2
inches long. She was welcomed at
home by big sister Jordan Lynn. Her
maternal grandparents are Glenda
and William Harrison of Lansing,
Kansas; her paternal grandparents are
Darrell and Patricia Opine of
Arkoma, Oklahoma. Congratulations
to everyone!
Ms. Stevens receives degree
Ms. Megan D. Stevens of
Saratoga Springs received a bache-
lor’s degree during the 2010
Commencement Ceremonies of
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
recently.
Ms. Stevens, the child of Mr. and
Mrs. Timothy Stevens, majored in
History and received a B.A. She
also studied abroad while at HWS.
Our congratulations to you!
Saratoga Springs HighSchool and the WiltonRotary Club sponsor ‘Respect’ awards
Thirty-six students from
Saratoga Springs High School
received Respect Awards at the end
of the 2010 school year during a
special program in the Meade
(teaching) Auditorium. This is the
third year of the program, which is
sponsored by the Wilton Rotary
Club of Rotary International in col-
laboration with the faculty and staff
of the high school, as well as the
high school Parent-Teacher-
Student Organization.
The award recognizes high
school students for the 2009-2010
academic year who have earned the
respect of their teachers, parents,
friends, others, and most impor-
tantly, themselves. The guest
speaker was Judy Ekman, execu-
tive director of The Alcohol and
Substance Abuse Prevention
Council of Saratoga County. The
recipients are listed below.
Matthew Beckwith
Catherine Carswell
Abhishek Chopra
Halley Choy
Caitlin Cummings
Conor Doolin
Hannah Doty
Jessica Famiano
Logan Fischer
Eric Hayden
Emily Hill
Emma Hodgson
Katelyn Hurley
William Jayko
Nicholas Kirkpatrick
Kristi Krulcik
Anthony Luciano
Lauren MacNeill
Renee Martin
Douglas McEachron
Alexandra Messier
Mary Morris
Margaret Morrissey
Kaeleen O’Connor
Jennifer O’Neil
Nicholas Parry
Joshua Rezsnyak
Brooke Ruggiero
Julia Sirianni
Alan Spadafora
Kamaal Stanley
Hal Starnes
Gabriel Sullivan
Nina Talamo
Jacob Veitch
Joseph Wagner
“We are pleased to be inducting
our third class of scholars, “said
Acting Executive Director Jim
LaVigne. “It has been gratifying to
watch our scholars grow and mature
in this program. We have students
who have made Honor Roll for the
first time and other students who
have improved their grades through
SSAS tutoring.” This class will
bring the number of students
enrolled in SSAS to 30 in the fall of
2010. The first class of SSAS schol-
ars will graduate from high school
in June, 2011. Congrats, everyone!
SARATOGA
TODAY Friday, August 6, 2010 AANNNNEE’’SS CCOORRNNEERR 9
Tooth fairy the
club
659 Saratoga Rd.,
Gansevoort, NY
12831,
(518) 226-6010
Noah, age 6
Mason, age 5
Philadelphia Orchestra Highlights this Week
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s resi-
dency at the Saratoga Performing
Arts Center will run through August
21. Ticket prices for all Orchestra
performances start at $18 for lawn
seats; inside seating ranges from
$31 - $72.50. The “GE Kids in
Free” promotion entitles children 12
and under to free lawn admission for
classical performances; middle
school, high school and college stu-
dent lawn admission is $10. Tickets
are available at www.spac.org, by
phone at (518) 584-9330 or at
SPAC's Route 50 Box Office.
Upcoming performancehighlights include:
Friday, August 6:
Alec Baldwin narrating
‘Peter and the Wolf’
Award-winning actor Alec
Baldwin returns to SPAC’s stage to
narrate Sergei Prokofiev's family
classic ‘Peter and the Wolf.’
Originally composed in 1936 for a
children’s theater in Moscow, ‘Peter
and the Wolf’ has become
Prokofiev’s best-known work. The
composer, who wrote the story as
well as the music, uses personified
instruments to tell the tale of young
Peter and his animal friends the
Duck, the Bird, and the Cat (repre-
sented by an oboe, flute, and clarinet
respectively). Peter, himself repre-
sented by the string section, outwits
the Wolf (French horns), who is
threatening his small Russian vil-
lage. The well-loved work, which
will have its first orchestral per-
formance at SPAC this season, is
frequently used in music education
to teach children about the different
instruments of the orchestra.
Saturday, August 7:
Beethoven’s Ode to Joy with
the Mendelssohn Choir
The internationally esteemed 125-
member Mendelssohn Club of
Philadelphia will share the stage
with the Orchestra to present a per-
formance of Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9. Considered a
work of musical genius and one of
the most important orchestral pieces
in the western classical repertoire,
“Beethoven's Ninth” is his final
complete symphony and the first
example of a major composer using
voices in a symphony. It is defined
by its grandiose scale and structure
as well as the innovation of the final
SARATOGA
TODAYFriday, August 6, 201010 PULSE Members of the Racing City Chorus,
Saratoga's Ambassadors of Harmony, will be
presenting a cappella vocal music evenings
during the racing season outside participat-
ing downtown restaurants.
The “Barbershop on Broadway” perform-
ances are free to the public, and will feature
popular music, show tunes, and barbershop
standards in four-part harmony on August 5,
11, 19 and 26 between the hours of 7 and 10
p.m.
Performance venues each evening will
include Scallions on Lake Avenue, Hattie’s
on Phila Street, Brindisi's, Holiday Inn and
The Inn at Saratoga on Broadway, The End
Zone on Ballston Avenue, and The Olde
Bryan Inn on Maple Avenue.
“We are thrilled to bring this unique form
of entertainment to many downtown visitors
who will be enjoying the summer evenings
in Saratoga,” said George “Guv” Wallace,
the marketing and public relations contact
for the chorus. “We are also grateful to these
downtown restaurants for helping to make
the Saratoga summer experience memo-
rable,” he said.
The Racing City Chorus was founded in
1956, and is the reigning Barbershop
Harmony Society Mountain Division
Champion in the
N o r t h e a s t e r n
District. They
present more
than 35 public
a p p e a r a n c e s
annually, which
in the past have
i n c l u d e d
Saratoga Arts
Fest, Saratoga
First Night, the
D o w n t o w n
B u s i n e s s
A s s o c i a t i o n ' s
“Hats Off to Saratoga” street fest for the
opening of the race track season, and the
Elk's Flag Day Parade.
For more information concerning the
“Barbershop on Broadway” summer per-
formance schedule, visit the Chorus' website
at www.RacingCityChorus.org
Photo Provided
Racing City Chorus
movement that uses Friedrich
Schiller's ‘Ode to Joy’ for chorus
and vocal soloists.
Wednesday, August 11:
All-Gershwin Program
Piano virtuoso Jean-Yves
Thibaudet will perform Gershwin’s
jazz-inspired ‘Piano Concerto in F’
as part of an All-Gershwin program
that also includes ‘An American in
Paris,’ ‘I Got Rhythm variations’ for
piano and orchestra and ‘Porgy and
Bess,’ A Symphonic Picture
Thursday, August 12:
The Farewell Celebration
Among the biggest highlights of
the 2010 season will be the August
12 “Farewell Concert” for Charles
Dutoit and Chantal Juillet. Dutoit
has been the Artistic Director and
Principal Conductor of The
Philadelphia Orchestra’s SPAC
Season since 1990; Juillet has been
the Director of the Saratoga
Chamber Music Festival since 1991.
Recently, each announced that the
2010 SPAC Season would be their
last in these roles, citing a desire to
devote more time to other artistic
responsibilities.
Both Dutoit and Juillet, who were
recently married, will participate in
this special program. Dutoit will
lead the Orchestra in performances
of masterful works by
Shostakovich, Debussy and
Respighi. Chantal Juillet will be the
evening’s soloist, performing
Korngold’s Violin Concerto. The
evening will conclude with a cham-
pagne toast to Dutoit and Juillet and
a brilliant fireworks display.
Alec Baldwin , Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Chantal Juillet, MaestroCharlesDutoit
Photo by ROBERT ASCROFT
Photo by Tammaro Photo Provided
Photo Provided
