Business Archives - Page 23 of 47 - Glens Falls Business Report

Faces of City Hall: Judy Villa-White

Written by Kate Haggerty on July 6, 2023. Posted in Community, Downtown, Featured, Workforce.

*City of Glens Falls Human Resources Director: Judy Villa-White*

“I am the Human Resources Director for the city, and have been in this position since 2013, so this is my tenth year” said longtime Glens Falls resident Judy Villa-White, as she settled in behind her desk.

Prior to her work at City Hall, Judy was an elected official for the city. She spent almost eight years on the Common Council: “It’s been a nice transition coming from the legislative side to working on behalf of the city employees. Prior to that, my life was in retail and management… I was with The Gap for over 20 years, and ended that career with a district manager’s title,” she said; at that time, Judy and her husband Steve were raising three young kids.

“I truly love what I do, and I am happy to keep doing it. As Human Resources Director, I am a department of one… So, I wear many hats. My main role is to support the city employees,” she said. The City of Glens Falls has about 200 employees, with an additional 50 employees that fill seasonal positions.

Judy describes the role she fills at City Hall: “I do all of the posting of positions, I sit in on all interviews, then I do the extending of the job offers, I do all of the onboarding… I also handle all of the workers’ comp issues that come in with any employee. Sometimes accidents happen, there are a lot of things that could cause an accident to happen on the job… We do work with the County for safety training to educate employees on the safest ways to do things. In addition, I handle disability, and FMLA,” she said.

Judy also has a different side to her job – filling the role of the lead negotiator when the contracts are up with the three collective bargaining unions: The Police, Fire Department, and Civil Service Employee Association (CSCA). In that role, she represents the city as opposed to representing the employees.

One of the challenges of Judy’s job is filling positions that have been vacated due to retirement. The City of Glens Falls is experiencing what Judy describes as a “Tsunami of retirements”: “These are big shoes to fill. These are people who have a lot of institutional knowledge… The Fire Chief retired after thirty years, that is a lot of institutional knowledge that has left us,” she said.

Hiring for a municipality has its specific challenges: “Under the Civil Service laws, jobs have very specific minimum qualifications… There are civil service exams, and if the exam isn’t being offered, the position is filled in a provisional role, with the expectation that the individual will take the exam when it is offered… This is very different from the private sector. Municipal jobs are good jobs, especially if people are thinking about the long term… These are jobs with a pension, a monthly pension check at the end of your career,” She said.

Over her tenure as the Human Resources Director, Judy has seen generational shifts occur in the workforce: “The intergenerational work philosophies shift and change… How we look at a job and the perceptions of different generations shift over time. It’s about retaining help, and currently the workforce is focused on quality of life aspects of work, which may include working remotely. It’s not necessarily about the money. I’m thankful that the Mayor is open to the idea of looking for new ways to retain employees,” she said.

Judy believes that part of her role is to be in the office, approachable, and available to employees: “I don’t want to lose touch with the employees. The questions and concerns that they have are important… I like to be available if someone wants to pop-in or make an appointment,” she said.

Judy enjoys her work at City Hall, and loves the community of Glens Falls: “I love the city. I grew up in Glens Falls and lived in Syracuse for a bit, but when we were talking about raising a family, my husband and I both knew that we wanted to raise our family here… It’s a great place to live, and we’re excited to see the renaissance that is happening in the city and where it will go from here,” she said.

Shifting to a Paradigm of Empowerment: A Veteran’s Story

Written by Kate Haggerty on July 5, 2023. Posted in Business, Faces of Veterans, Featured.

Dave Byrne – a graduate of West Point Military Academy, who served in both Kuwait and Iraq – has spent the last five years establishing his solar energy business, Renua Energy… And he feels he has a responsibility to advocate for fellow veterans; specifically, the designation of being a disabled veteran, and the effect that could have on veterans living their fullest lives.

Today, Dave Byrne is the president and founder of Renua Energy, a state and federally certified service-disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB) located in South Glens Falls. Renua Energy provides consulting and development services for community solar projects, and provides electric charging solutions for local businesses… Dave has been in the field of solar energy for fifteen years. He began his career in solar energy as a residential solar installer, and worked in various roles in the industry prior to starting his own company five years ago.

As a first-generation American, Dave was influenced by his parents’ experiences as immigrants… Due to his family’s struggles, he knew that it would take hard work to accomplish his goals. Dave’s life experiences from a humble childhood to his experiences overseas have shaped how he sees his country, fellow veterans, and his business practices… And Dave’s heart is heavy with the notion that too much of the national conversation surrounding veteran’s issues is focused on the disabilities of veterans. He is interested in showcasing an alternative narrative highlighting the training, experiences, and values that he and his fellow veterans have gained through their service.

Dave is deeply appreciative of the sacrifices that veterans make, and keenly aware of the effects that can be carried with them for the remainder of their lives… However, he believes that it is also important to highlight the importance of the resilience of the military community, and the life lessons and strong values that time in the military has imparted upon him and so many other veterans.

Dave is aware that the veterans needs the support of the medical community, and encourages fellow combat veterans to do the hard work to heal: “I think that as a veteran community, we have to be careful on an individual level of being labeled as ‘disadvantaged’ because of our service. A lot of us saw a lot of terrible things that most people will never see in their lives… I share this because my greatest hope is that fellow veterans will realize that if they are struggling spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically, that they shouldn’t just look at their time in combat, but be willing to look at other potential sources of pain from their lives to empower themselves to get better,” he said.

Dave believes that there are dangers in and accepting a “disabled” or “disadvantaged” label without doing the difficult work of investigating if there are other factors at work… With the help of the medical community and an open and honest understanding of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it may be valuable to explore additional underlying causes of the stress. Identifying all aspects of PTSD may give veterans an opportunity to live a broader and more fulfilling life.

Due to his tours in Iraq and Kuwait, Dave became aware of the need to diversify the energy needs of the United States… He developed a passion for renewable energy, and is dedicated to serving his customers and his communities. Dave has taken the core values that he learned in the military, and applied them to building his business. Many of the skills that he gained have become pillars in the work that he does every day – good core values, work ethic, and perseverance are the intangibles that have helped Dave to build both his life, and his business.

To pursue his goal of attending West Point, Dave needed a Congressional nomination… He choose to seek the nomination of Congressman Gerald Solomon. Solomon had a solid reputation for vetting and recommending the top candidates through his nomination committee’s diligent interview process: “The candidates were listed from 1 to 10, and the number-one candidate would receive an automatic acceptance into the Academy… And the committee already had the number one spot filled,” Dave said. However, that didn’t stop him! He made an effort to visit each of the committee members in person prior to his interview before the committee: “I believe I visited 18 of the committee members prior to the interview. That extra effort secured me the top slot from the other candidate,” he said.

Shortly after graduation from West Point, the events of 9/11 dictated Dave’s service – he was deployed to Kuwait, and then to Iraq. During his time there, his unit oversaw three free elections… They also were responsible for intercepting the makings of bombs that were intended to stop the elections.

Although he was a graduate of West Point and a former Army Captain, his experience in the solar industry was non-existent, so he began as an installer – carrying solar panels up ladders and installing them on rooftops. This experience gave him an appreciation for the work in the trades… Although he was in good physical shape from the military, installing solar panels in the summer was exceptionally difficult, and demanding both physically and mentally. This work set him on the path of creating his own company.

As Dave looks back to his personal experiences and his military service, he would like to highlight the benefits that he has gained from his service, and cautiously and thoughtfully infuse a concept that labeling veterans as disabled may pigeon-hole both how they see themselves and how their community and society view them.

“Being away from my wife and son for over two and a half years in combat or field training was not easy, but I have also come to realize that I was privileged to have had the opportunity to serve my country in a meaningful way and to become a member of the largest cohesive network in the world – the US military veteran community,” Byrne said.

For more information, please visit Renuaenergy.com

Notice of Formation: LLC’s

Written by Staff Report on July 3, 2023. Posted in Business, Featured, Local Leads.

Notice of Formation of Bluebird Hideaway LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 4/29/2023 Office Location: Warren County. Bluebird Hideaway LLC, Sean Ryan, 8 Hall Road Extension, Queensbury, New York 12804 The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Voyageurs Fieldsport LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 4/20/2023 Office Location: 518 Sullivan Way Cambridge NY 12816 Washington County. United States Corporation Agents Inc., 7014 13th Avenue Suite 202 Brooklyn New York 11228. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of FNC Property Services. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 4/20/2023 Office Location: Warren County. 53 Old West Mtn. Rd., Queensbury, NY 12804. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of KJBLF, LLC . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 3/29/2023 Office Location: Washington County. Kendra Farstad, 2691 County Route 113, Greenwich NY 12834.The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of The Cabins at Breezy Hill, LLC . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/09/2023 Office Location: Warren County. 11 Wolf Road, Queensbury,NY 12804.The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Towers Arms LLC . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/07/ 2023 Office Location: Warren County. Eric A. Towers, 67 E. River Dr. Lake Lucerne, NY 12846. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of ADK EBIKE LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/27/ 2023 Office Location: Warren County. 7 Prospect Street D23, Lake Georgee, NY 12845. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation Blue Key Property Holdings LLC . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/04/23 Office Location: Warren County. 2748 State Route 9 Lake George NY 12845. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Fern Brook LG LLC a domestic LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/22/ 23 Office Location: Warren County. 11 Oneida Street Glens Falls NY 12801. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Kare – Kreations LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/01/ 2023 Office Location:Warren County. Kari Donohue P.O. Box 828 Lake George NY 12845. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Dayton Williams House LLC . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/24/23 Office Location: Washington County.MIchael Rossi 65 Dayton Hill Road Middle Granville, NY 12849. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Pastore Carbontek . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/24/23 Office Location: Warren County. 27 Martell Rd., Queensbury NY 12804. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Mettowee Valley Lavender, LLC . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 3/10/23 Office Location: Washington County. 49 County Route 12 Granville, NY 12832 The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Dingle Lake LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/27/23 Office Location: Warren County. 149 Webster Ave., Unit 1, Jersey City NJ, 07307. Principal business address 1547 S. Johnsburg Road Johnsburg NY 12843 The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Upstate Tap and Pour, LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/13/23 Office Location: Warren County. P.O. Box 125 Bolton Landing NY 12814. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Schultze’s Auction LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on Office Location: Washington County. 271 Patterson Road Fort Edward 12828 The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Moskos Acres LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/28/23 Office Location: Warren County. 1776 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of EMC Construction Services LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/12/23 _Office Location: Washington County. 24 Birch Ave, Apt. B, Glens Falls Ny 12801. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Headlights Print Shop LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/03/23 Office Location: Warren County. 71 Lawrence Street Suite G05 Glens Falls NY 12801. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Stidd CPA. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/31/23 Office Location: Warren County. 175 Broad Street Glens Falls NY 12801.The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of Topridge Ventures LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 5/30/23 Office Location: Warren County. 59 Middle Road Lake George NY 12845. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of IOTA ZEtA Group LLC . Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/30/23 Office Location: Warren County. 59 Middle Road Lake George NY 12845 The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Notice of Formation of B3K Enterprises LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/26/23 Office Location: Warren County. 82 Georgees Knoll, Warrensburg NY 12885. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.
Notice of Formation of PeComm Communication Services LLC. Article of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/05/23 Office Location: Warren County. P.O. Box 631, Glens Falls, New York 12801.The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under the laws of the State of New York.

Warren County & Washington County June 2023 DBA Filings

Written by Staff Report on July 3, 2023. Posted in Business, Featured, Local Leads.

WARREN COUNTY

SAND & DECKS: DALE AGARD, 44 WINDSONG DR QUEENSBURY NY 12804

BEDORE & ASSOCIATES : GABRIEL BEDORE, 34 ONEIDA STREET GLENS FALLS NY 12801

HOMETOWN CHARM: LESLIE S BURKE, 6348 RT 9 CHESTERTOWN NY 12817

HIGH MAINTENANCE KLEANING: RENEE KARESHA GOODSPEED, 296 MAIN STREET PO BOX 303 NORTH CREEK NY 12853

BARODY S DETAILING: CONNOR BARODY, 24 HORICON AVE WARRENSBURG NY 12885

ADVANCED DESIGNS WEB SERVICES: AARON DENSMORE, 336 LAKE TOUR ROAD

LAKE LUZERNE NY 12846

KAETZEL TREE SERVICE: CHRISTOPHER KAETZEL, 223 STATE RT 28 LOT #3 WARRENSBURG NY 12885

BAMBAZ: STEPHANIE BENN, 164 CANADA STREET LAKE GEORGE NY 12845

M & T INVESTMENTS: MAUREEN CLENNAN, 203 MAPLE ST GLENS FALLS NY 12801

MURALGARTEN GLASSWORKS: BRITTANY CANALE,153 MAPLE ST GLENS FALLS NY 12801

1517 CLEANING: AARON W. JABOT, 551 LAKE AVE LAKE LUZERNE NY 12846

FLAGG’S HOME REPAIRS: WAYNE A. FLAGG JR., 15 NORTHWAY LN

QUEENSBURY NY 12804

SIMPLY MADS BOUTIQUE: MADELINE DELSIGNORE,25 CEDARWOOD DRIVE QUEENSBURY NY 12804

INNER WORKS COUNSELING: SHELBY CLOSSON, 237 GLEN ST SUITE 106 GLENS FALLS NY 12801

RED’S SWEET TREATS: JORDAN DOUGHER, 6 DREAMLAKE RD SOUTH QUEENSBURY NY 12804

ZIEGLER GRAPHIC DESIGN: KERRY ZIEGLER, 5 WAYNE CT QUEENSBURY NY 12804

NORTHWOODS GENERAL CONTRACTING: DARRYL PROSSER JR., 374 ATHOL ROAD ATHOL NY 12810

STAR CANVAS UPHOLSTERY TRIM SHOP: WILLIAM R.BROWN, 173 ADIRONDACK ST QUEENSBURY NY 12804

CREATIVE PROPERTIES UNLIMITED: JOSEPH PARIS II, 86 EAGAN RD QUEENSBURY NY 12804

WASHINGTON COUNTY

SNIFFS AND SNACKS: JAMIE LYNN MONROE,14 BLENOR AVE HUDSON FALLS, NY 12839

ADAMS MOBILE TIRE AND AUTO REPAIR: ADAM G KAUFMAN, 130 SHAFTSBURY HOLLOW RD EAGLE BRIDGE, NY 12057

FISHERS LOCKS: JONATHAN E FISHER, 7 LINCOLN STREET GRANVILLE,NY 12832‑1207

A TO Z CONSTRUCTION: ZACHARY BRAYMER 128B SOUTH WILLIAM ST WHITEHALL NY 12887

ALL AMERICAN DUMPSTER RENTAL: BENJAMIN NOFTLE, 28 BLACKHOUSE RD FORT EDWARD NY 12828

J AND R VENDING: JAMES R MADDISON, 58 COUNTRY ACRES HUDSON FALLS NY 12839

NODEFIANCE: JAMIE FAYE HUNT 19 N PARK ST CAMBRIDGE, NY 12816

SISCO CONSTRUCTION AND LANDSCAPING: LUCAS SISCO 9 PACIFIC STREET APT 2 GRANVILLE NY 12832

MANDIE B’S STAINED GLASS: AMANDA BAKER, 8185 STATE ROUTE 40 GRANVILLE NY 12832

MCKAYLA JEANS ICE CREAM: MCKAYLA JEAN MCLENITHAN, 2147 STATE ROUTE 22 CAMBRIDGE NY 12816

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC: ANTHONY BROWER, 58 SLOAN DR GREENWICH, NY 12834

NC LANDSCAPING ROOFING AND MORE: NICHOLAS COON, 244 BROADWAY FORT EDWARD NY 12828

PREMIER BUILDINGS OF THE ADIRONDACKS: TYLER ENNIS 10270 STATE ROUTE 149 FORT ANN NY 12827

MAMMA’S CAFE: THOMAS R. HEYM & DANIELLE BEMIS-HEYM, 134 BROADWAY FORT EDWARD, NY 12828

NORTHEAST MATERIALS: EMILY PATTERSON, 2 NOLAN RD SOUTH GLENS FALLS, NY 12803

Big Win For Biochar

Written by Staff Report on June 29, 2023. Posted in Business, Community, Featured.

On Tuesday, June 27th, The New York State Supreme Court, County of Saratoga ruled in favor of the Town of Moreau Planning Board, Raymond Apy, and Saratoga Biochar Solutions LLC., regarding an article 78 petition. In the article 78 petition, the Clean Air Action Network challenged the site plan approval for Saratoga Biochar’s $80 million Carbon Fertilizer manufacturing facility in Moreau, NY.

According to the legal rendering by NYS Supreme Court Justice Richard A. Kupferman, “Upon reviewing the record, the Court finds that the planning board conducted a thorough investigation of the problems involved. As set forth at length above, the planning board spent significant time analyzing the potential environmental impacts associated with this project…”

Company officials attribute the victory to the Saratoga County Supreme Court’s thorough review of the extensive site plan application record compiled and reviewed by the Moreau Town Planning Board over the course of the one-year application review period.

After a nine-month delay at substantial cost to taxpayers, Saratoga Biochar Solutions can now move forward with their plans to help NYS meet its ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets. “We are beyond pleased to see justice prevail. The claims made against the Moreau Town Planning Board and Saratoga Biochar were completely wrong, as the record has proven and the NYS Supreme Court has fully acknowledged,” CEO Ray Apy said.

As Saratoga Biochar Solutions awaits permits from the state DEC, the company will focus on financing. “The debt market has degraded substantially under the current US administration, also due to various external factors. We had hoped to leverage reasonable cost venture debt when we started developing the Saratoga Biochar project. Today, debt terms have grown unattractive with high interest rates so we have pivoted to attracting private equity to help us fund the project. To date, we have a number of very interested parties, both individual and institutional. We have invested over $1.6MM to date in project and technology development and are fully committed to complete our plans in the Moreau Industrial Park.” said Apy.

The plant, which will be located in the Moreau Industrial Park, will be constructed in three phases over five years. At full capacity, the facility will convert 225,000 tons of treated biosolids into 25,000 tons of dry carbon fertilizer per year. The 243-acre industrial park is zoned heavy industrial and manufacturing, while the Saratoga Biochar project would qualify as light industrial use. Thus far the town has invested $2 million into the park to provide high voltage electricity, high pressure natural gas, and sewer and water infrastructure.

The current site plan, filed in 2021 with the Moreau Planning Board, entails an $83MM million-dollar state-of-the-art facility aimed toward far better than current disposal methods to address a dirty problem – treated human bio-waste (“biosolids”). The site plan was filed by Saratoga Biochar Solutions, a carbon fertilizer manufacturing company with ambitious aspirations to recycle biosolids waste into a clean and safe fertilizer product, and was conditionally approved by the Moreau Planning Board in August of 2022.

How It Works

Municipalities treat their raw sewage in wastewater treatment plants which results in the generation of biosolids, the treated and settled solids from the wastewater.

The municipalities pay waste removal companies to haul away their biosolids to dispose of the material in landfills or incinerators, or to compost the material and use as agricultural fertilizer. Biosolids are known to contain trace amounts of contaminants, some of which have been demonstrated to pose a risk to human health, especially if certain compounds (such as PFAS) enter the human food chain or drinking water sources.

The waste removal companies will deliver the biosolids to Saratoga Biochar Solutions, rather than to landfills, incinerators or direct land application.

Saratoga Biochar Solutions will use thermal treatment technologies (rotary driers and pyrolysis kilns) to dehydrate the biosolid waste, remove the contaminants from the waste and convert it into biochar – carbon fertilizer, an affordable, carbon rich granular fertilizer. (Russia has been a global leader in fertilizer production, and experts anticipate possible shortages and price hikes due to the ongoing Ukraine situation.)

According to company CEO, Raymond Apy, “Saratoga Biochar is committed to human and environmental health through the remediation of all potentially harmful pollutants in biosolids. That, in addition to building a successful business, is the driving reason for our technology and plans. We seek to address all the problems associated with biosolids waste management.”

New Way Lunch to be Featured on America’s Best Restaurants

Written by Staff Report on June 29, 2023. Posted in Business, Columns, Community, Downtown, Featured, Food, News.

GLENS FALLS, NY – Local restaurant New Way Lunch will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) in mid-June 2023.

America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to the Glens Falls location of the restaurant on July 12th. Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with the Gazetos family about the restaurant’s special place in the community. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.

Open since 1919, New Way Lunch has expanded to three locations in the area, building their success on the humble hot dog topped with a homemade secret recipe meat sauce. The restaurant started as a quick, inexpensive (5 cent dogs) option for the nearby mill workers needing a hot lunch during the workday. Now the iconic eateries are run by the third and fourth generation of the family who started it all at the original Glens Falls location.

Although the menu has expanded to include hamburgers, salads and other items, New Way Lunch continues to be a popular dining destination for locals and travelers alike. The hot dog remains a custom-made pork and beef dog, served with mustard, onions, and the special ‘dirt dog’ meat sauce on a steamed bun.

After being closed for two years during the pandemic, the Glens Falls location underwent a major renovation and also began selling the meat sauce in jars – without the full ingredient list, as it’s a secret – for retail sale.

America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location on Wednesday July 12th from 2 pm to 5 pm EST. The press is invited to attend. The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on their Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website at https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/new-york/new-way-lunch.

Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are found through customer nominations or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.

About New Way Lunch:

Open Tuesday through Saturday, New Way Lunch is located at 21 South St, Glens Falls NY 12801. Other locations include Queensbury and Warrensburg. Telephone is (518) 792-9803. For more information visit www.newwaylunch.com.

About ABR:

America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and restaurant marketing company based in Florence, KY, travels the country telling the stories and highlighting the unique food of locally owned independent restaurants as part of their ABR Roadshow. Restaurants are featured not only on ABR’s Restaurant Network of social media channels and website, but also each individual establishment’s Facebook page. With over 800 episodes filmed, America’s Best Restaurants is the premier marketing agency for restaurant owners and operators to have their story broadcast coast-to-coast. Visit AmericasBestRestaurants.com to learn more and to view the episodes and profiles of hundreds of America’s Best Restaurants!

Phillip K. Vacchio, Esq. Joins Herzog Law Firm as a Senior Associate

Written by Staff Report on June 28, 2023. Posted in Business, Featured, News, Workforce.

Herzog Law Firm PC is pleased to welcome Phillip K. Vacchio, Esq. to the firm as a Senior Associate.

Phillip will provide comprehensive legal counsel to existing and new clients in the areas of Estate Planning, Elder Law, Estate Administration and Guardianships and will work out of Herzog’s Albany, Clifton Park and Saratoga Springs offices.

Phillip was formerly a partner of a Long Island-based law firm handling the same areas of law and brings his extensive experience to the Capital Region and the North Country. Phillip is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral and Social Sciences in 2009 and Hofstra University School of Law where he graduated cum laude.

Phillip has been named to the Super Lawyers Rising Star list for the last three years, and he will be an incredible addition to our team.

Herzog Law firm | www.Herzoglaw.com

North Country Janitorial Inc. Expands Workforce and Builds Community

Written by Kate Haggerty on June 26, 2023. Posted in Business, Community, Featured, Workforce.

North Country Janitorial Inc. is located at 188 Dix Avenue in Glens Falls. It was founded in 1974, by Ron and Rosemary Montesi… It’s now a second-generation family-owned business, currently run by Ron and Rosemary’s son, Matt Montesi, as the President and Owner; while Chris Barden is the Chief Operating Officer, and has been part of the North Country family for almost 12 years. North Country Janitorial Inc. has about 230 employees, and over the last few years has found new and innovative ways to fulfill their employment needs, build community, and provide opportunities and services to their employees.

North Country Janitorial has continued to grow over its almost 50 years in business: “When I started, we didn’t have clients above Warrensburg, and now we go to the Canadian border… However, the majority of our customers are 15 to 20 miles from our offices here in Glens Falls,” Chris said.

North Country Janitorial has recently expanded into cleaning healthcare facilities and medical manufacturing plants: “Here in Glens Falls, we’re in the center of it… There are medical manufacturing facilities all around us, and it has taken hard work and opportunities to build those relationships,” Chris said.

Chris is aware of the importance of a reliable workforce to fulfill the needs of their clients: “We are a business that lives and dies by the availability of labor. Finding labor, retaining labor and training labor is key,” he said.

It was with this aspect of their business in mind that they kept working to expand their labor pool… About three years ago, the labor expansion that they had been looking for became a reality! The addition of a bilingual territory manager to the North Country family was the catalyst for this change – the ability to communicate with a new group of potential employees has helped bridge the gap between North Country Janitorial, and the hispanic labor market.

“The work is not easy. Finding people was a challenge, and about three years ago, we hired our first bilingual manager. That opened up the opportunity to recruit and talk to folks that we had previously not had access to. These folks are Spanish-speaking… They have gotten here legally to work, and to live and to support their families. So that opened up the ability to start recruiting from a larger demographic than we had been able to before… For us, that is huge, and has grown and has been part of our success. We have been able to work and take on more work and staff properly,” Chris said.

To support this new workforce, North Country Janitorial had to create infrastructure – the pool of labor that they would be drawing from mostly lived in Albany, and therefore, transportation was an issue: “Living in Albany and working in Glens Falls created some logistical challenges for a lot of these folks. Transportation was an issue. A lot of these folks didn’t have cars… Getting them from point A to point B was something that we had to figure out. Getting them to come up from Albany made us get creative and create systems for housing and transportation. We spent a lot of money on Uber for many months transporting our workforce. We needed to get our employees where they needed to go to support our customers. We went out and bought a minivan a little over a year ago, and we use that to shuttle people to some of the larger accounts. That’s worked well,” Chris said.

To help support their employees, North Country Janitorial has used innovative thinking to create real world solutions for their work force – they have reached out into the community and helped their employees find housing and services in the area. They have provided simple solutions like translating the bus schedule into Spanish… They have also relied on technology to translate information when needed: “The phones are great. They translate information so that everyone can communicate,” Chris said.

However, as they hire and support this new labor market, human interactions are important as well. The HR team at North Country Janitorial are enrolled in Spanish language classes, so that they can more effectively communicate with employees: “The HR team is the underpinning of the program. We really only wish we had done it sooner! Our customers are happy to have competent people, and that has helped strengthen some relationships,” Chris said.

For more information about North Country Janitorial, please visit northcountryjanitorial.com

Double H Ranch Announces Alison Wilcox as Chief Executive Officer

Written by Staff Report on June 21, 2023. Posted in Business, Community, Featured.

The Double H Ranch is a non-profit organization, providing specialized programs and year-round support for children dealing with life-threatening illnesses… They have recently announced the hiring of Alison Wilcox as CEO! Alison will be following in the footsteps of Max Yurenda, who retired after 30 years of leading the organization. Double H Ranch was founded by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, and businessman and philanthropist Charley Wood.

“Alison has a wonderful passion for the mission of the Double H Ranch and a respect for our culture. Her experience developing leadership skills for young girls, financial management, and organizational development will inspire the Double H Ranch to grow upon its reputation of excellence as one of the premier non-profits in the Capital District and North Country. By working with our great Double H Ranch team, I am confident Alison will bring great enthusiasm, energy, and engagement in her new role,” said Charlie Crew, Board Chairman.

Ms. Wilcox has over 20 years of global experience in non-profit leadership and board governance – she has also been the CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York for the past 4 years, and she was COO for 3 years. Prior to that, she was a Senior Strategy Advisor to Girl Scouts of USA, Lead Development Specialist at Delaware North Companies, and the Senior VP of Program and Membership of Girls Scouts of Western New York.

Double H’s Board of Directors retained the executive search firm Lindauer to conduct a nationwide search following the announcement of Max Yurenda’s retirement in June of 2022… The process was detailed, thorough, and thoughtful, resulting in an outstanding outcome for Double H, an organization that has served over 80,000 children from around the world dealing with a serious or life-threatening illness.

“I am so excited to join the team at Double H Ranch. The mission of Double H is near and dear to my heart because of my own family background, and I am inspired by the powerful impact Double H has on children and their families,” said Ms. Wilcox. “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the next CEO for this wonderful organization, which has such a strong history and legacy, and obvious commitment and dedication from the entire staff, volunteer, camper, and alumni community.”

Ms. Wilcox will officially assume the role of CEO in August 2023, and plans to relocate to New York’s Adirondack Park, where the Double H Ranch is located.

The Double H Ranch, co-founded by Charles R. Wood and Paul Newman, provides specialized programs and year-round support for children and their families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Their purpose is to enrich their lives, and provide camp experiences that are memorable, exciting, fun, empowering, physically safe, and medically sound. All programs are FREE of charge, and capture the magic of the Adirondacks.

For more information, visit www.doublehranch.org.

LARAC’s June Arts Festival 2023

Written by Kate Haggerty on June 19, 2023. Posted in Business, Community, Featured, In the Arts.

On Saturday, June 17th, and Sunday, June 18th, the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council – fondly known as LARAC – held their 52nd annual Junes Arts Festival at the Glens Falls City Park. This event ran from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sunday. LARAC is a year-round, non-profit arts organization which was founded in 1972 to enhance cultural services in Warren, Washington, and Northern Saratoga Counties. The LARAC June Arts Festival features over 130 exhibitors, offering a variety of products from jewelry, home items, food, fine art, and textiles, and more.

All fine artists and artisans – with no geographic or membership restrictions – were invited to apply for a booth space by juried entry. All work submitted for consideration must be original design and handcrafted by the artist. Reproductions of original work must involve hand work or direct supervision by the artist.

A gentle but persistent rain fell on Saturday as visitors opened up umbrellas and donned their rain gear to wander through CIty Park and enjoy the art, music, and food offerings. A visitor’s map was provided with a layout of all of the vendors and their corresponding locations in and around the park.

Ritvik Sharma – an artist from the Schenectady/Rotterdam area – works primarily in oils and watercolors. He has been coming to the LARAC Arts Festival for the last few years to exhibit and sell his art: “I’ve been doing this festival for a few years and I enjoy coming here and I enjoy the people,” he said. He works out of his home studio and his garage, and felt that the turnout in the rain was surprisingly good!

*Artist Ritvik Sharma at LARAC Art Festival*

Jessica Rogers Landry also had a booth to promote her business – “A Sense of Wonder Studio”. Her store – located at The Shirt Factory – opens three days a week year round, and she also attends festivals and has an online store to promote her business: “So my art starts with my photography and then I make what I call ‘functional art’ out of it. I get my images transformed into fabric and sew them into things like tote bags and pillows and coasters and clutches, and I also dabble in a few paper products, greeting cards and calendars,” Jessica said.

*Jessica Rogers Landry at the LARAC Arts Fest*

LARAC is run by Executive Director Phil Casabana and Community Outreach Director Alyssa Shiel. Their board of directors is made up of President Will Siegel-Sawma, and members Carol Ann Conover, Susan Ford, Pamela Green, Jessica Landry, Anne Nelson, and David H.B. Thomas.

LARAC is located at 7 Lapham Place which sits on the edge of Glens Falls City Park. For more information, please visit larac.org.