Business Archives - Page 35 of 48

GFSD HOPE Boutique a Huge Success With Help From Volunteers and LIA Auto Group

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 15, 2022. Posted in Community, Education, Featured, Local Leads, Uncategorized.

On Saturday December 10, the HOPE Holiday Gift Boutique was held on the lower level of the Glens Falls High School. 142 shoppers participated in the event, the mission of which is to build and support trusting relationships with district families, compassionately fulfill immediate needs of students, and foster connections with community resources.

The Hope Boutique offers free clothing items, personal care items, and shoes; these items are donated by and accessible to all members of the school community. This event was a huge success due to the hard work of the HOPE committee, volunteers, students, staff and administrators. On Friday, after school preparations to set up for the event began, volunteers donated baked goods and refreshments – including sugar cookies made by Mrs. Shaffer’s middle school class.

Lia Auto Group made a huge “Stuff the Truck” donation of new winter clothing and toiletries; in addition, Lia donated $700 of merchandise.

Holiday music created a festive background as shoppers wandered the hallways, which were filled with items ranging from toys and games to holiday and home decor. Shoppers were able to get 10 items and five stocking stuffers per person. The shoppers were also given the opportunity to have the items gift wrapped, and then head to the clothing boutique.

This Committee began seven years ago, and has expanded to serve anywhere from 50 to 100 families a month. The HOPE Committee has fundraisers, food drives, clothing drives, a sock drive, and hat & glove drives to supply the pantry and boutique; for more information, visit gfsd.org.

City of Glens Falls in “Full Winter Mode”

Written by Staff Report on December 15, 2022. Posted in Community, Featured, Local Leads.

The City of Glens Falls announced yesterday that the city is in “Full Winter Mode.” This is due to the combination of an expected large winter storm, and increased traffic during the holiday season. Mayor Bill Collins is asking for everyone’s cooperation to help the Department of Public Works (DPW), and to keep our residents safe.

“We are ready,” said Mayor Collins. “We ask all our residents to monitor the latest forecasts and simply be smart. We also ask our residents to help one another, especially the elderly, with any snow shoveling they may need assistance with.”

Fire Chief James Schrammel said, “As always, please make sure to shovel your sidewalks and dig out around fire hydrants. That really helps our firefighters, and is a great help if we are needed in an emergency.” The fire chief also reminded the residents to be aware that parking in the street during snow emergencies can impede emergency vehicles due to the presence of snow banks, snow removal equipment, and the narrow nature of the city’s streets.

Tom Girard – the superintendent of DPW for the City of Glens Falls – said, “We continue to monitor the latest changes in the forecast provided by the National Weather Service in Albany as well as all the local media outlets.”

Girard asked residents to help the DPW by doing the following prior to when the snow begins:

Please make sure all sporting equipment is removed from our city streets. If you remove a basketball hoop setup, please make sure that the basketball hoop is not hanging over the curb. Our trucks are large, and need room to maneuver.
Move any lawn bags so they are between the curb and the sidewalk.
This is specifically for plow drivers who plow for or own their own snow removal service – when plowing parking lots and driveways, please do not push snow to the opposite side of a city street.

The winter weather is expected to begin Thursday night, and continue through Friday.

Queensbury and Shen Duel on the Ice

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 15, 2022. Posted in Community, Featured, Local Leads, Sports.

Queensbury, 4, Shen, 2!

Queensbury got out to an early lead at the Glens Falls Recreation Center on Wednesday night, with the First Varsity Goal by Oliver Coughlan. His goal came at the 14:01 mark, and was assisted by Michael Deutsch & Ethan Kelsey. Shen tied the game up on a power play goal with 8:12 remaining in the 1st period, scored by Freddy Hick & assisted by Thomas Hall & Andrew Thornton.

Queensbury went ahead 2-1 on a power play with 3:49 remaining in the second period when Tanner Fearman found the net, assisted by Ryan & Ogden. This was the only goal scored in the second period of play.

Hicks, Hall & Thornton did it again for Shen, and tied the score 2-2 with 13:46 to go in the third period; however, Shen could not hold off the offensive efforts of Ethan Kelsey, who scored off a pass from Quinn Thesis with 10:22 remaining in the 3rd period, which put Queensbury up 3-2. Then, with 1:32 remaining in the contest, Mack Ryan scored an unassisted goal, and Queensbury won the day 4 to 2 over Shen.

The Shen goalie Mason Snider played 51 minutes, had 25 saves, & allowed 4 goals (.862).

The Queensbury Goalie Jacob Fanciullo played 51 minutes, had 26 saves, & allowed 2 goals (.929).

On Saturday, December 17th, Queensbury will face Ogdensburg Free Academy. On Sunday, December 18, Queensbury will face Salmon River; both of these games will be in Salmon River.

Glens Falls’ Ayden Grieve: Goalkeeper of the Year

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 14, 2022. Posted in Community, Education, Featured, Local Leads, Sports.

Glens Falls Goalkeeper Ayden Grieve was named Goalkeeper of the Year in Class B at the Section II boys soccer banquet. He was also named to the all-state fourth team in the small schools division. Grieve has played on the Glens Falls High School Varsity Team for 3 years; during his freshman season, he was the starting fullback and back up goalkeeper, and throughout his Sophomore season, Ayden took over as the fulltime goalkeeper. Through that season, he recorded 111 saves and allowed 32 goals. During this past season as a junior Ayden was named team captain, and was instrumental in the team’s success – by the end of the season, Ayden had allowed only 14 goals. The Glens Falls 11-5-2 record helps to reflect Ayden’s contribution… This is an impressive improvement from the previous year, when the team was 4-13-1.

Ayden has been a goalkeeper since he was 8 years old, and in addition to playing with the Glens Falls Boys Varsity Team, Ayden also plays club soccer with FC Dutchmen Premier.

Athletic Director Shane Jones said: “We are very proud of Ayden for his accomplishments. He is a very talented multi-sport athlete, as he recently just came in 2nd place in our Mat Mania Wrestling Tournament this past weekend.”

The Glens Falls Inn Provides Cozy Character and Downtown Convenience

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 14, 2022. Posted in Business, Community, Downtown, Featured, Local Leads.

Nestled on Sherman Avenue in Glens Falls is a 19-century Victorian home, which has been converted into The Glens Falls Inn. The Glens Falls Inn provides a unique guest experience, with old-world charm in harmony with updated amenities. The house has high ceilings, original molding, hardwood floors, and pocket doors.

There are a variety of bookings that are available to guests: booking the entire home gives guests six suites that each have private bathrooms, and use of the kitchen, living room, and dining room is included for this booking.

Guests who book an individual room, will have shared access to the sitting parlor, living room, dining room, and wrap around front porch; however, cooking and laundry will not be available. The laundry room is available for guests who book for seven days or more. This service will be at an additional cost and will need to be requested prior to the booking.

The Glens Falls Inn also features a 3rd floor apartment known as the ‘Top of the Inn” or Inn-Keepers’ Quarters. This unique space offers one bedroom, a gas fireplace, a kitchen, a full bath, and laundry. This special, separate unit is only sometimes available for reservations. The first floor is handicapped accessible, and there is a handicap accessible bedroom on the first floor as well.

Michelle Jones – Owner and Innkeeper – took ownership of the Inn in 2018. Since then, Michelle has been working to bring back the charm and character of this historical structure, as it’s a great place for family reunions, and small weddings. Michelle makes it a point to meet guests, help them feel at home, and give some helpful hints.

When the entire house is booked, Michelle is available via cell phone, and is usually 20 to 30 minutes away if guests are in need of any assistance. Michelle was born and raised in Glens Falls, and carried on the tradition by raising her own family there. Michelle said via The Glens Falls Inn website: “I have spent my life believing that life is what you make it and the people you encounter may enrich you for a moment or a lifetime. Through the Inn, I am blessed with the opportunity to meet people from all over and to provide a place for them to rest, grab a warm cup of coffee, relax and to meet other travelers.”

For more information, please visit glensfallsinn.net

City of Glens Falls Halts 2 Bus Routes Due to Shortage of Bus Drivers

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 14, 2022. Posted in Community, Downtown, Featured, Local Leads, Workforce.

Effective December 16, 2022, Greater Glens Falls Transit (GGFT) will be suspending specific bus routes due to a shortage of bus drivers: the routes that will be affected are Route 4, and Route 11 & 12. These changes will affect weekday routes.

The Route 4 line currently leaves Glens Falls and travels to Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, along Quaker Road and Boulevard. This route leaves Ridge Street in Downtown Glens Falls at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, & 2:30 PM. This route is being suspended.

Route 11 & 12 will also be suspended. This bus route currently travels to Upper Glen Street from Ridge Street in Downtown Glens Falls, at 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM, & 3:30 PM.

Due to these routes being suspended, the GGFT has modified Route 19: at 9:30 & 10:30, that route will be rerouted to use Glen Street instead of Bay Street and Quaker Road. These routes will service Walmart on Upper Glen Street, and the Montcalm Apartments.

The service changes will be in effect until further notice, and GGFT has alerted the other municipalities that will be affected by these changes.

The GGFT began operation in 1984 and is estimated to transport over 320,000 riders annually. Routes are operated Monday through Friday, from 6:30 AM to 9:45 PM, & Saturdays 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Completed Renovation of the Hudson Headwaters Broad Street Location

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 13, 2022. Posted in Community, Featured, Local Leads.

Hudson Headwaters on Broad Street completed their extensive renovations in November of 2022. The Broad Street facility offers urgent care services seven days a week, with no appointment needed. This facility focuses on health concerns that arise suddenly, but are not life threatening. There are laboratory services and x-ray services on-site. Patti Hammond – executive vice president and COO – said via the Hudson Headwaters Website: “These enhancements further our mission to provide accessible, high quality health care for everyone, regardless of income or insurance, while also contributing to Glens Falls’ wider revitalization efforts.”

These renovations included an expanded waiting room with updated lighting and new artwork. The urgent care exam rooms have also been updated, and the triage area has been redesigned so that nursing staff can more efficiently assess what the patients need.

Externally, the center has been updated with new windows. signage, lighting, paint, and landscaping. The external stairs and wheelchair ramp were rebuilt, a new roof was put on the facility, and the parking lot was remodeled.

This work took about a year to complete, and a $1.5-million grant secured by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik helped to offset the cost of the construction, expansion and renovation. Located at 100 Broad Street, this high traffic location is next to a Stewart’s Shop, which was under construction during the same period of time. For more information, visit hhhn.org

Glens Falls Board of Education Meeting for Monday December 12, 2022

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 13, 2022. Posted in Community, Education, Featured, Local Leads.

The Board of Education of the City of Glens Falls met on Monday December 12, at 7:00 PM. The Board represents the interests of five schools – including three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

Items on the agenda for the meeting included:

Approve discarding obsolete/damaged library books from Kensington Road Elementary School, Big Cross Elementary School, Jackson Heights Elementary School and The Glens Falls Middle School.

Approve the indoor track meet at Springfield College in Massachusetts on January 8, 2023. Approve the memorandum of Agreement with CSEA. Approve disposing of GE washer & dryer from the Middle School.
Accept the Bid Report for Phase 1 of the Construction Project, and award contracts to the following bidders:
- Gallo Construction corp.- General Construction (Total Contracted Amount: $1,177,000.00)
- RF Gordon Mechanical, LLC-Mechanical/ Plumbing Construction (Total Contracted Amount: $148,650.00)
- Harold R. Clune, Inc.-Electrical Construction (Total Contracted Amount: $99,800.00)
- Keystone Purchasing Network (KPN)# 201901-01(Field Turf USA) (Total Contracted Amount: $842,811.17)
- Key Purchasing Network (KPN) #201901-01 Misco Sports Lighting LLC (Total Contracted Amount: $646,037.00)
- Total of Prime Contracts: $1,425,450.00
- Total of KPN Contracts: $1,488,848.17
- Total All Contracts: $2,914,298.17

Approve the resolution dates December 12, 2022, regarding Advocacy Priorities for the 2023 legislative session.
Approve excessing computer equipment.
Approve increasing the .5 FTE Physical Education Teaching Position to .6 FTE
Approve the following production teams for the High School Theatre Ensemble:
- Music Director – Meredith Reed
- Costume Design – Pam Granger
- Choreographer – Jillian Granger
- Set Construction – John Dingman
- Sound – Chuck Vasgonian
- Scenic Design – Katie Hjelmar
- Lighting Design – Theo Dehaan

The role of this board is to develop the policies through which the Superintendent administers the educational programs, students and staff. It is the philosophy of the board that the schools are the responsibility of the entire community, so The Board of Education would like community members to take an active role in the development of the schools.

The board is made up of nine members, who are elected by qualified voters in the district during the annual school budget vote in May, and serve for 5-year terms without pay.

Any candidate that is interested in running for the Board of Education can pick up a nomination petition at the District Office in mid-March: the Petition requires 100 valid signatures of district residents in order to have their name placed on the ballot. The petitions must be returned to the Board Clerk in mid-April.

Current Board of Education Members for 2022-2023:

Timothy Graham, President
Matthew Levin, Vice President
Jeremy Deason
Kelly Culliton
Cate Fitzgerald
Laura Kennedy
Karin Maurer
Randy Rath
Jason Rivers

The Board of Education meets on the second Monday of each month, at 7:00 PM at the District Office. If school is not in session, the meeting dates are moved to the week prior to or the week after. The Board’s Curriculum Committee generally meets in conjunction with the board meetings; for more information, please visit gfsd.org

ARCC Sponsored Ribbon Cutting For Much-Anticipated Park & Elm Restaurant

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 12, 2022. Posted in ARCC Spotlight, Business, Community, Featured, Food, Local Leads.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce presented a festive ribbon cutting to kick off the long awaited grand opening of the Park & Elm Restaurant on Friday, sponsored by M&M digital printing. A sizable crowd of community members attended the ribbon cutting to show their support for the newest endeavor by Glens Falls’ favorite mother and son entrepreneurs, Elizabeth & Ben Miller.

Prior to the ribbon cutting, people wandered the isles of the already popular Park & Elm Market & Deli. Conversations about already beloved “must-try” menu items filled the space. Both Ben & Elizabeth Miller kindly greeted guests, and cheers rang out as the ribbon fell.

Ben Miller then welcomed everyone in attendance to enjoy a drink at the bar prior to the first seating. Amongst the attendees was Andrea Harwood, the Director of Development and Site Acquisition for Habitat for Humanity: she said, “Elizabeth and Ben Miller are pillars of this community. We are fortunate to have innovators like them in our downtown corner.”

The bar area was large enough to comfortably accommodate the crowd. Everyone clearly enjoyed the architectural features of the industrial chic decor – decorative wooden tables set with simple yet elegant place settings accented the long teal banquet, which lined the wall that separated the bar from the dining room. The bar area was lined with high top tables, and the barstools were cushioned and had decorative backs. The decor was pulled together with exposed brick walls and a tin ceiling.

The Park & Elm menu will be executed by Executive Chef Matthew J. Delos; Delos and his staff moved across the street from Doc’s Restaurant, and will continue to feature the locally-sourced ingredients that his creative dishes are known for.

Park & Elm will be open Wednesday through Saturday, from 5:00 PM until close; the attached Market & Deli will operate Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. For more information, please visit https://www.parkandelm.com/

Queensbury Took the Ice Against Saratoga for The Annual Teddy Bear Toss

Written by Kate Haggerty on December 12, 2022. Posted in Community, Education, Featured, Local Leads, Sports.

Teddy Bears on the ice after Queensbury Scored Photo provided

Queensbury 5, Saratoga 4; the Queensbury Spartans faced off against the Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks at the Glens Falls Recreation Center on Friday night. This event featured the Annual Teddy Bear Toss – for the traditional Christmas season, promotion fans are encouraged to throw stuffed bears onto the ice!

Saratoga was the first to score with 2:50 remaining in the first period. Their goal came off the stick of Payton Borak, with no credited assist.

The second period was dominated by the Queensbury Spartans. To start the period off, Mack Ryan scored with 14:06 remaining; the assist was credited to Quinn Theis and Julien Shafer. This goal was followed by two more Queensbury goals – the first with 6:07 remaining was scored by Tyler Dufour, with the assists credited to Tanner Fearman and Oli Coughlan. Then, less than 2 minutes later, Tanner Fearman scored, assisted by Michael Deutsh and Tyler Dufour. Saratoga found the net once more with 2:46 remaining in the 2nd period; this goal was unassisted, and scored by Charley Oak.

Queensbury added to their lead on a 3rd period powerplay when Tyler Dufour connected with a pass from Oli Coughlan and Tanner Fearman, who were both credited with the assist. Queensbury was not done yet! Tanner Fearman put the “biscuit in the basket” unassisted for Queensbury’s final goal of the game. Saratoga staged a comeback with 2:31 remaining as Jake Bader scored a power play goal with the pass from Charlie Oke… But, as time ran out, Queensbury took the win over Saratoga: 5-4.

The goalie from Saratoga was Xander Clarke, who had 26 saves; Queensbury Goalie Jacob Fanciullo had 24 saves.

Queensbury will be on the ice against Shen on Wednesday, December 14th, at the Glens Falls Rec Center. Puck drops at 7:30 PM!