News Staff

The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors approved the 2025 budget. The board unanimously passed the budget during a meeting on Wednesday. WTEN reports the $432 million spending plan calls for a five percent reduction in the property tax rate. Officials said the county has the lowest property tax rate in Upstate New York.

For the 14th year in a row, GlobalFoundries in Malta is giving back to the community. WNYT reports the company is giving grants worth more than $161,540 to 37 organizations. The money will help support various programs in Malta. This year’s grant recipients include the Saratoga Rowing Association, Best Buddies New York, and the Malta Sunrise Rotary Club.

Whitehall residents can once again take showers and run appliances that use water, but they are urged to conserve their use, reports WNYT. A water emergency remains in place as the village’s water source, Pine Lake, is running low. The village said in an update on Thursday morning that the pump system has been successful in pumping water from Pine Lake. However, the village is still in a water deficit situation.

A person was hit and killed by a car on Route 9. WNYT reports the crash happened Thursday night near the outlet stores on Route 9 when a person traveling on a bicycle was fatally struck by a car.
As of Thursday night, police had not notified the family yet so the identity of the person who died is not being released.

Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Accounts Dillon Moran has scheduled a Public Hearing for Short-Term Rental Legislation on December 17, 2024, at 6 p.m. in the City Council Room before the City Council Meeting.

Longtime Shenendehowa Director of Physical Education and Athletics Chris Culnan has announced his resignation and it will go into effect June 30, 2025. WRGB reports Lucas LaBarre, the high school associate principal, will assume the responsibilities of the position. The board is currently determining the next steps in selecting a new leader for Shenendehowa athletics.

The Saratoga Springs Department of Public Works (DPW) closed Gilbert Road Wednesday due to flooding. DPW closed the road at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and remained closed overnight.
DPW said the culvert on Gilbert Road is known to flood from rain and snowmelt. This makes the road dangerous to travel through, in addition to having low visibility at night.

Whitehall students will return to classes on Thursday for the first time this week as the village continues to deal with a water emergency. WNYT reports the village remains under a boil water advisory. The district said in a statement that they have an ample supply of fresh drinking water for staff and students and potable water that will be available for the cafeteria to prepare meals.

More than half of voters would rather vote for a gubernatorial candidate who isn’t Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul in 2026, according to a newly released poll from the Siena College Research Institute. The Daily Gazette reports out of 834 respondents, 40% of Democrats want a different candidate. Among Republicans, that’s 85%, and it’s 65% of independents.

Glens Falls Police is the first law enforcement agency in New York State to launch a new program dedicated to being prepared for when a child goes missing. Department officials said the Missing Kids Readiness Program promotes better practices for law enforcement agencies when responding to calls about missing children, reports WTEN.