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A man has been arraigned in connection with the death of Mark French in Saratoga Springs. As WNYT reports, Jordan Garafalo was arraigned today in Saratoga County court, is accused of punching French in the head outside Clancy’s Tavern in Saratoga Springs back in August. French fell, and hit his head on the pavement. He later died. Garafalo was released on $100,000 bond. His brother, James, was charged last week.

A new COVID testing site is opening in Saratoga County this week. It’s located in the Malta Commons Business Park at 100 Saratoga Village Boulevard. The test done there, according to WNYT, is said to be the most sensitive saliva test on the market, and can detect all known variants including the Omicron variant. Operating hours are Monday through Friday – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A fire early Tuesday morning did some damage at the Parting Glass on Lake Avenue. WNYT reports the call came in at about 3:30am and firefighters contained the flames to the first-floor kitchen area. They believe it to be accidental in nature and say the restaurant did not sustain structural damage, but will likely have to close for a few days.

One person was arrested following what investigators are calling a burglary and assault at a home in Galway. WRGB reports the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office Monday announced the arrest of 30 year old Cassandra Morsellino. Investigators say Morsellino stabbed one victim in the neck with a knife after entering the home with another man with the intent of burglarizing the home. The Sheriff’s Office say that the victim and Morsellino knew each other. She’s charged with assault and burglary .

A Saratoga Springs business owner is taking her mission overseas to help school-age children in Africa. WRGB reports
Ashley Campbell of Coral & Blue Paper Company created larger, kid friendly thank you cards with elementary lines with more room to write, and a space to draw. Campbell has a friend who teaches in Burundi, Africa, one of the poorest countries in the world, so she sent some of her stationary there and now it’s being used for kids’ school lessons there.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday that $539 million was approved by the federal government to assist in with an all-new state-based Homeowner Assistance Fund. The governor said this program is a first of its kind in the U.S. and that New York was the first state to receive this kind of federal funding. The New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund (NYS HAF) is a “federally funded program dedicated to assisting homeowners who are at risk of default, foreclosure or displacement as result of a financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office was asking for help locating Gemenis Martinez, a 13-year-old who had been missing since Saturday, December 4. WTEN reports the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office said as of 3:45 p.m. Monday, Martinez had been found . No word on where she was found or where specifically she had been.

A Moreau woman was sentenced to three years in prison for setting her home on fire. WNYT reports Michelle Iorio pleaded guilty to arson after setting fire to her home in the Evergreen Court Mobile Home Park after having a dispute with other people in the house back in April. There were no injuries.

Colonie Police say they have arrested a 25 year old Albany woman, accused of possessing a loaded “ghost gun” According to WNYT, police went to the Surestay Plus Hotel on Wolf Road at around 4:00 AM on December 2nd after a report of an altercation. Police say Enas Saideddine was in possession of a loaded gun that lacked a serial number. Police say they believe the gun was assembled after it was purchased in separate parts.

Police have charged a Niskayuna principal with DWI over the Thanksgiving break. WNYT reports 44-year-old Laurel Jones was stopped by Bethlehem Police on November 27th. Police say she was driving without her headlights on when they pulled her over. They say she was coming from Lost and Found, a bar in Albany, and when they questioned her, they could smell alcohol. Jones is the principal of Rosendale Elementary School.