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Saratoga PLAN completed two conservation easements with the Pott and VanVorsts families permanently protecting 126 acres of farmland in the Saratoga County Town of Ballston on December 14. This land will now forever be available for farming and critical wildlife. WTEN reports the land includes originally part of Brookdale Farm which is thought to be the original 1800s hop farm where hops were transported to breweries in Albany.

Saratoga New Year’s Fest is a brand new take on an old tradition. WNYT reports there’s more of a focus on big musical acts.
A $20 badge gets you into all of the bars and venues to see well-known acts – more than 40 in total. Also, fireworks will be launched from the top of the City Center Parking Garage, and they won’t wait until midnight. Instead, they will be at 6 p.m.

Remains found in Lee, Massachusetts in September are Shaker High English teacher Meghan Marohn, says the chief medical examiner. According to WNYT, the remains were in such bad condition, the medical examiner says they can’t determine how she died. However, foul play is not suspected. Marohn, 42, was first reported missing back on March 29.

State Police of Saratoga arrested Sarah F. Micheli, 30, of Malta, NY, for two counts of Petit Larceny. On November 29, 2022, at about 8:36 a.m. Troopers received multiple reports that packages had been stolen from residences the day before in Malta, NY. The investigation determined Micheli was responsible for the thefts. The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office arrested Micheli on similar charges.

State Police of Wilton arrested 30 year old Ellissa G. Carmin of Nassau, for Driving While Intoxicated, Obstructing Governmental Administration and other counts after they received the report of a Wrong-way driver on I-87 southbound in Wilton. Troopers saw Carmin operating her vehicle northbound in the southbound lanes. A traffic stop was conducted, and Carmin was arrested. While in custody, she was uncooperative and caused injury to a Trooper.

Almost 2.7 million New Yorkers, or 13.9% of the state’s population, lived in poverty in 2021, compared to 12.8% of all Americans, according to the first in a series of reports released recently by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli examining “New Yorkers in Need.” While poverty rates in the state declined prior to the pandemic, they were higher in 2021 than in 2019.

A Coeymans man is under arrest after allegedly violating a restraining order. According to WNYT, 28 year old Thomas Baffuto entered a Ravena home and got into an argument with the mother of his two children. After the argument, Baffuto tried to strangle the mother, and then ran off with an eight-month-old child, say police. He was found with the child in Kingston, and now faces a slew of charges.

Two Ballston Spa residents are under arrest on animal abuse charges. WNYT reports 31 year old Rebecca Been and 28 year old Justin Condon were arrested after a yellow lab was turned into the Saratoga County Animal Shelter on Dec. 3rd. The animal was extremely malnourished and had other signs of neglect, say police. Both are charged with torturing or injuring animals and were released on appearance tickets.

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public of an ongoing phone scam. The scam is primarily occurring at area restaurants. According to WTEN, an unknown male caller, who claims to be from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, has been contacting businesses and claiming he is investigating a counterfeit currency complaint. The caller reportedly has personal information of store employees, and at least in one case, one’s full name, date of birth, social security number, relatives, and financial institution.

The Albany man accused of driving a motorcycle while impaired by drugs and alcohol and killing two people in Lake George turned down a deal Thursday that could ultimately send him to prison for the rest of his life. WNYT reports Anthony Futia is accused of crashing a motorcycle into a group of people in Lake George and killing an 8-year-old boy and his stepfather.