News Staff

Alex West, the man convicted of driving his boat over a family on Lake George and killing an 8-year-old girl, will be released from prison. The state parole board voted 2 to 1 to release West during its meeting this month., WNYT reports West was convicted at trial of manslaughter in the July 2016 boating crash that killed little Charlotte McCue and badly injured her mother. West had been drinking and drugging all day on the lake before he ran his boat over the top of the other boat and then kept going without calling 9-1-1.

Police stopped a vehicle on Lake Avenue in Gansevoort around midnight on December 30 after the driver failed to signal a turn. A passenger, identified as 39-year-old Jon Carpenter of Gansevoort, was asked to exit the vehicle for further investigation. He tried to flee but was caught. Upon searching Carpenter, officers discovered he was in possession of 87 grams of cocaine.

A Clifton Park woman was arrested on grand larceny charges after an investigation into a reported theft of a Halfmoon business. Mandy Navarro, 50, is accused of stealing over $30,000 from the business. WTEN reports Navarro allegedly used the business’s credit card, multiple times without permission or authorization. The purchases were made from August 2023 to December 2023.

Thanks to generous Stewart’s Shops customers, the company’s 2024 Holiday Match program raised more than $1.75 million for local children’s charities. Sun Community News reports customers donated more than $880,000 between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With Stewart’s doubling that amount, hundreds of local nonprofit children’s organizations will benefit as the money is distributed over the next few months.

The state of emergency for Whitehall remains in effect as the village continues to monitor water levels. WNYT reports Mayor Francis Putorti said in a statement on Monday, Dec. 30 that the levels for the lake remain far below the levels necessary to support unrestricted water use. The water remains in a water deficit. The village is pumping water from below the maximum height of the village’s intake pipe.

Southern Adirondack Child Care Network (SACCN) has joined forces with Warren County Department of Workforce Development to administer a new program that provides funding and assistance with training to open new home-based childcare centers.
Warren County residents who are interested in applying for funding can call Warren County Career Center at 518-743-0925 or Southern Adirondack Child Care Network at 518-798-7972.

Southern Adirondack Child Care Network (SACCN) has joined forces with Warren County Department of Workforce Development to administer a new program that provides funding and assistance with training to open new home-based childcare centers.
Warren County residents who are interested in applying for funding can call Warren County Career Center at 518-743-0925 or Southern Adirondack Child Care Network at 518-798-7972.

Saratoga is gearing up for the final night of 2024. The two-day event to be held on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, and Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. Kicking off with a free outdoor concert by Tops of Trees along with a fireworks display launched from the top level of the City Center’s parking garage. That’s followed the next day by the Saratoga First Day 5K.

The team behind the popular restaurant and cocktail bar Hamlet & Ghost is set to open a new wine bar on Phila Street next month. The Daily Gazette reports called Familiar Creature, it will have a menu of small plates, charcuterie wine. The new venture is inspired by the travels of co-founder Brendan Dillon, who in recent years has visited Montreal with his wife.

Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company has been recognized as the top small lender in the Capital Region by the U.S. Small Business Administration. WNYT reports the bank approved eight loans valued at $1.2 million, solidifying its position as a leading financial institution supporting local businesses.