WSSV News

Over 80 types of chowder and a sea of people filled downtown Saratoga Springs at the 24th annual Chowderfest. WRGB reports thousands turned out for the event over the weekend. The festival returned to a one day only event; last year the festivities lasted a whole week.

Thursday night was part two of a discussion on where to place a homeless shelter in the Spa City, after the current suggestion was shot down over concerns it was too close to an elementary school. WTEN reports Mayor Ron Kim says there will be no homeless shelter at this time. But he has a plan to get the ball rolling by appointing a task force to take a deeper dive on the feasibility of the project.

State Police on patrol observed a vehicle pulled over on the side of State Route 9 in the town of Moreau. A preliminary investigation determined that when talking to the driver, Ricky G. Rickson, 52, of Scotia, Troopers observed a glass smoking device and white, chalky substance inside the vehicle. During the investigation, cocaine, Xanax pills and multiple measuring scales were located inside the vehicle. Rickson and his passenger Alexandria D. Lorman, 25, of Greenfield were both arrested.

General Motors has signed a deal with GlobalFoundries. WNYT reports GlobalFoundries said they will expand production capacity at its Malta plant, exclusively for GM’s supply chain. The factory will supply finished computer chips to General Motor parts suppliers that manufacture computer modules to control their products.

New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection has issued some tips on how to save money when grocery shopping. They include Plan your meals in advance to reduce food waste and cost. Look for deals and take advantage of store savings by enrolling in store reward programs. Shop strategically. Take inventory of what you have at home before going shopping. Go to the grocery store with a list, having planned out your meals until your next grocery trip.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $100 million in State funding has been released to support the renewal of State roadways impacted by extreme weather. The funding supports repaving projects at 64 locations, totaling almost 520 lane miles of pavement. The money includes $1.9 million to resurface Route 67 from Route 9 to Mechanicville City Line in the Towns of Stillwater and Malta.

Chaos erupts in a Saratoga Springs city council meeting Tuesday night, prompting officials to abruptly adjourn and reschedule.
WRGB reports during the meeting, people began yelling at one speaker to sit down and that began a yelling match. Police showed up at which point some members of Saratoga Black Lives Matter demanded council address the death of Tyre Nichols and police brutality. It’s unclear when the meeting will be rescheduled.

A new tool in Saratoga County could help the community with opioid education. According to WNYT, the county unveiled a real-time substance use surveillance dashboard on Tuesday. It uses data from law enforcement, health care, mental health and public health to provide a comprehensive picture of substance use in the county. It will also allow for a faster identification of patterns like a spike in drug use in limited areas at certain times.

The Ballston Spa Central School District (CSD) Board of Education recently announced Dr. Gianleo Duca as the new Superintendent of Schools. According to the Saratogian, he most recently been serving as Interim Superintendent after being appointed in Sept. 2022. Over the last nine months, the Board reviewed several options and came to the conclusion that the best path forward is to select a leader with an established relationship with many district stakeholders and a proven track record of success within the District.

Saratoga Mayor Ron Kim delivered his second State of the City address, reflecting on the past year’s accomplishments and looking ahead to the future. The Saratogian reports Kim talked about City Council meeting the goals he had set last year to create a community focused on transparency, accountability, and infrastructure. He described budget plans and project proposals that were easily available to the public, noting how every City Commissioner was on board with his goals.