Welcome to your weekly newsletter of news, views and events in Saratoga Springs and beyond.
News from your Saratoga Springs Democratic Party:
Clock is running for potential City candidates.For those interested in seeking endorsement as a Democratic candidate for a position on the City Council, or for County Supervisor for the City of Saratoga Springs, the next step is to complete the newly-released candidate questionnaire which is now available on the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee website. To be eligible for an endorsement interview, a completed questionnaire must be returned to Georgana Hanson, Chair of the Nominations Sub-Committee, by February 5th at georgana.hanson@saratogadems.org. City Chair Sarah Burger said, “With President Biden winning Saratoga County by over 7k votes, this should be the year of the Democrat. We hope to build on the momentum of November’s record breaking turnout.”
Dems appear not to have the votes to convict Trump, but he will still go down in history as the first President to be impeached twice. Their anger at having their lives threatened by Trump supporters during the January 6 riot has subsided, and a growing number of republican Senators now say they will not vote to convict the former President for inciting insurrection. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) is exploring a vote of censure as an alternative. Meanwhile, President Biden is pursuing an impressive agenda of actions including sweeping climate change orders, a proposed new round of stimulus and an order for 200 million COVID vaccine doses.
Most events are still virtual, but many are now onsite. For in-person events, assume that proper COVID-19 precautions will be mandatory including social distancing and masks at all times.
Friday, January 28, 5:00 – 7:30 pm. Knights of Columbus Fundraiser Takeout Fish Fry. For $14.00, you can get fried or baked haddock with French fries, cole slaw, tartar sauce and cocktail sauce. Fried clam strips, shrimp salad, mac and cheese and clam chowder also available. Orders must be called in ahead of time to (518) 584-8547 on Wednesday and Thursday between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00. Orders will also be taken on Friday, the day of the event, beginning at 1:00 until we run out with pickup (inside with masks, or curbside) from 5:00 to 7:30 pm. Knights of Columbus #246 is at 50 Pine Road on the west side of Saratoga.
Saturday, January 30 through Saturday, February 6. Saratoga Chowder Tour 2021. Saratoga Chowderfest has been reimagined as a week-long event in which chowder lovers can enjoy a cup or bowl at their favorite restaurant while avoiding overcrowding and adhering to New York State dining guidelines. Reservations strongly recommended; pints and quarts will also be available for takeout. Lists of participating restaurants and their food and drink specials here. There will be no paper ballots, but you can vote for your favorites online and also purchase commemorative t-shirts at this online store.
Saturday, January 31, 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Bluegrass at the Barrelhouse—LIVE! David Rabinowics & Kevin Cottone will be preforming a bunch of their favorite songs for a bunch of their favorite people! Good food, good beer, & some incidental jams! Thanks for the respect with proper mask and spacing protocol, and let's have a grand ole time! The Barrelhouse is at 68 Beekman St in the Arts District.
Saturday, January 30, 8:00 pm. Bill Staines Watch Party from Caffé Lena. A New England native, Bill Staines has toured America for over 40 years, singing his songs and delighting audiences at festivals, folksong societies, colleges, concerts, clubs, and coffeehouses. Singing mostly his own songs, he has become one of the most popular and durable singers on the folk music scene today, weaving a blend of gentle wit and humor into his concerts. Watch the live stream on YouTube; if you like what you here please leave a tip for Bill and the ongoing programming of Caffé Lena.
Sunday, January 31, 1:00 – 2:00 pm. Socially Distant Snowy Slow Roll. Pump up your tires and celebrate cold weather biking with an all ages slow roll on the streets of Saratoga Springs. Guided by Bikeatoga, we’ll bring the tunes for a leisurely paced guided group ride with bundled attendees. We anticipate approximately a 10mph pace (to stay warmer), looping through safe and quiet neighborhood streets. The ride begins and ends at Palette, 493 Broadway, where hot and cold beverages will be available.
Monday, February 1, 6:00 pm. Northshire Bookstore Live: A Conversation with Samantha Power and Laura Dern. Former US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power and Academy Award-winning actress Laura Der mark the paperback release of Power’s critically acclaimed, best-selling memoir The Education of an Idealist. In this exclusive event, hosted in collaboration with independent bookstores across the US, Power and Dern will discuss Power’s journey as an immigrant, journalist, activist, and diplomat, as well as their perspectives on the current political moment and the road ahead. Free for readers who have purchased Power’s book from Northshire; order your copy here.
Tuesday, February 2, 6:00 pm. Northshire Live presents The New Heirloom Garden. Join us for the launch of "The New Heirloom Garden," the beautiful new book from Manchester, Vermont author Ellen Ecker Ogden. The author inspires us with a history of seed saving in this country, then guides gardeners of all levels to create their own heirloom gardens with tangible gardening tips, twelve themed garden designs, and detailed resources. Tickets from $0 to $33, with the latter including a signed copy of the book which will be shipped to you after the event. Register here.
Wednesday, February 3, 4:30 – 6:00 pm. Roast Beef Dinner for Curbside Pick Up at Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge. Dinner for 2 includes Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable, Salad, Gravy, Roll for $25; cash only please. Call (518) 584-2585 between 10 am and noon on Monday or Tuesday to order for curbside pickup on Wednesday. Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge #161 is at 1 Elks Lane, off Maple Ave and opposite the Triangle Diner.
Wednesday, February 3, 7:00 pm. Poetry Night at Caffé Lena. 4th Thursday is always poetry night, and tonight’s guests reading their works are Lucyna Prosko, Kathleen McCoy, & David Graham. Watch the reading on YouTube here; if you like the work please leave a tip for the artists and ongoing programming at Caffé Lena.
Thursday, February 4, 5:30 – 6:30 pm. First Thursday with the Arts presents 18 Strings ofTrouble. The duo of Herb Carter Jr and Justin Donohoe delivers an authentic, polished, classic rock sound with a range that will appeal to any audience. The band will be playing in Saratoga Arts’ big picture window at 320 Broadway while fans watch from outside. Dress warm, wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Local news and happenings:
Saratoga Springs Leaders Deliver 2021 State of the City Address. Mayor Meg Kelly and members of the city council delivered the address virtually Tuesday night. “At our last State of the City Address, the highly anticipated move back to the newly renovated City Hall was at the top of the list of a very full schedule of projects and activities. Obviously, 2020 unfolded in very unexpected ways,” said Kelly as reported by WAMC. Commissioner of Accounts John Franck said the city’s expanded outdoor seating rules will continue. “The outdoor seating project proved to be very successful and it resulted in a number of extensions right through the almost end of the year right before the big storm. Therefore, we are already working on putting this program back in place for the 2021 season,” said Franck. “And despite an unprecedented health crisis – which led to an unprecedented budget crisis, which in turn resulted in some furloughs, lockdowns and the need for a number of special services for our local businesses and essential employees, we persevered,” said Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan.
Bad news, good news in COVID-19 fight. In the regularly updated posting on her Facebook page, Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton reported Wednesday that there is still no clear path for 43,000 eligible people in Saratoga County to get the vaccine until supplies improve. But the good news is that new infections are down significantly with only 26 new reported infections on January 26 vs 314 on January 7 and a 7-day rolling positivity rate in tests of 6.3% compared to 11.3% on January 7. Source: Saratoga County Department of Public Health COVID-19 dashboard.
Local man arrested in January 6 Capitol riot. James Bonet, a Glens Falls resident who works as a shift manager in Saratoga Springs, faces one count each of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, according to charging paperwork in the case reported by the Daily Gazette. The federal charging documents contend Bonet filmed himself before entering the Capitol and once inside. At one point, one of the videos depicted Bonet inside smoking what appeared to be a joint, a witness told investigators. A source told investigators that Bonet “openly talks about government conspiracy theories at work and tries to regularly convince” co-workers of the theories, including that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, the filing reads.
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