News Staff

Saratoga Springs police have made a couple of arrests related to the theft of a couple dozen catalytic converters. WNYT reports Trever Murphy from North Carolina and Joshua McIntosh from Virginia are accused of ripping off some two dozen catalytic converters. Police say some were found in a Saratoga Springs hotel, some in a van that the men were driving. Both are charged with felonies. Police say they expect more charges.

High school students from the Ballston Spa Central School District are getting ready to rumble – robot rumble. The Saratogian rpeorts students in the school district’s For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics program are hosting this year’s 2022 Robot Rumble Off-Season Robotics Competition. The competition, which will include students from across New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, will be held at Ballston Spa High School on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Competition spectating is free and open to the public.

State Police of Saratoga arrested Jason F. Mineau, 43, of Ballston Spa, NY and 59 year old Donald W. Roraback of Clifton Park on drug counts. Last week, Troopers stopped a vehicle on Spinnaker Drive in Malta, NY, for a speeding violation. During the investigation, Mineau was identified as the operator and Roraback as a passenger. Mineau was found to possess drugs, and drugs were located within the vehicle. Both were arraigned at the Malta Town Court and released under the supervision of the Saratoga County Probation Department.

New Yorkers needing help paying their heating bills can begin applying for home heating assistance Tuesday, Nov. 1.
The Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as HEAP, can provide up to $976 this winter to help low- and middle-income households and senior citizens keep their homes warm and help defray high energy costs.

A stop at a sobriety check point last night ended with a deadly crash. WNYT reports it happened n the town of Moreau, where
Vincent Mancuso of Fort Edward stopped at the check point, spoke to an officer and then sped off. Troopers later found the car after it crashed on Ferry Blvd. in the village of Glens Falls. Mancuso was taken to Glens Falls Hospital where he later died.

As election season begins, New York State’s Election Protection Hotline gears up to tackle voter issues.
With New York’s early voting period – running through Sunday, Nov. 6 — followed by Election Day itself on Nov. 8, the AG’s office has readied its staff to troubleshoot and resolve any of a host of problems that may be encountered by voters, including those surrounding absentee ballot and in-person voting at polling places. You can call the hotline at 866-390-2992, submit complaints online (electionhotline.ag.ny.gov/), or email them to election.hotline@ag.ny.gov.

Three arrests have been made in connection with school threats in Saratoga County. WNYT reports the sheriff’s office says the suspects are 11, 15 and 16 years old. None of the threats was found to be credible. Two threats were in Ballston Spa. The third threat was in Schuylerville. The Ballston Spa threats mentioned gun violence on social media, but the Schuylerville threat was in person, directly to other students.

Students in Saratoga Springs will get free breakfast and lunch for the rest of the school year. WNYT reports The district made the announcement on Wednesday morning. They will use COVID relief funds and the cafeteria fund to cover the cost.
Free meals begin Oct. 31, and are only for this school year. Students will keep using ID cards, but won’t be charged.

A Saratoga County woman is missing in Florida after she went there to scatter her dogs ashes in the Gulf of Mexico. The efforts to find 33 year old Staci Peterson have gone from search to recovery, say officials, after they searched the beach along St. George. Authorities say the waters there can get treacherous.

Wednesday is the deadline for a Moreau man to accept a plea offer related to a fatal hit-and-run, and it looks like John Lincoln-Lynch would rather go to trial. WNYT reports Lincoln-Lynch is accused of hitting Paul Trombley in South Glens Falls and leaving the scene of the deadly February crash. The district attorney offered a deal that would have Lincoln-Lynch go to prison for a minimum of one to three years to a maximum of four-and-a-half years.