Gary & Dylan discuss this weekend’s “Haunted Barn Bash” being held at Lakota’s Farm. Also discussed: a Whitehall judge suspended, police investigating an incident of shots fired in Queensbury, Cambridge and Greenwich apply for the NY Forward program, the Queensbury girls’ soccer team lose their game against Burnt Hills, and National Drug Take-Back day happening this Saturday.
00:02 – Intro 00:37 – Ad Break 1 01:15 – Story 1: Whitehall Judge Suspended 02:17 – Story 2: Police Investigating Reports of Shots Fired 02:58 – Ad Break 2 03:18 – Story 3: Lakota’s Farm “Haunted Barn Bash” 04:37 – Story 4: Cambridge & Greenwich Apply for NY Forward Program 06:09 – Story 5: Loss for Queensbury Girls’ Soccer Team 07:04 – Story 6: National Drug Take-Back Day 07:55 – Outro
CAMBRIDGE — Halloween is around the corner, and Lakota’s Farm is helping get the community in the spirit with the first annual ‘Haunted Barn Bash’ on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.
The Bash will have a live DJ, catered food, a cocktail bar, a costume contest, and more. Lakota’s Farm owner Kimberly Finney said she is excited to put on the event, saying she loves Halloween.
“I’ve always loved Halloween,” said Finney. “We’re actually having a blast right now, because we’re decorating the barn all spooky, when we normally do weddings and more formal events.”
And a 200-year-old barn is likely the perfect place to host a spooky celebration.
“We definitely feel like there are some haunted spirits that live here,” Finney said. “I can’t imagine there couldn’t be.”
The costume contest will feature three categories, with winners receiving a gift certificate to a future farm-to-table dinner at Lakota’s. Contest categories are: Best Costume, Best Couple, and Best Group.
“We’re going to do three sets of it,” said Finney. “Just to entice people to dress really fun and be creative with their costumes.”
Catered food will be provided by Wandering Food Dude, featuring a charcuterie board, hor d’oeuvres, and food stations throughout the barn. DJ John Waddell will provide music for the evening.
“(Wandering Food Dude) just did our last farm-to-table dinner just a few weeks ago, our last one of the season, and it was incredible,” said Finney. “They’re newer to having their own business, but they’re certainly not new to the catering world.”
The Haunted Barn Bash will have a cocktail bar, as well as tarot readings by Aviana Shaman, who Finney said also attended the fall festival at Lakota’s.
“She was here for our fall festival, actually, and everybody really seemed to love her,” Finney said. “We thought it would be a really fun, spooky element to have Tarot readings at a Halloween party.”
The Bash is selling two types of tickets, a $25 ‘Dance the Night Away’ ticket, and a $65 ‘Dancing and Dinner All-You-Can-Eat’ ticket.
“People can buy tickets just to come to the party, which includes some light snacks and things. It’s kind of admission to the event,” said Finney. “The ($65) ticket is, the caterers are going to do a cocktail hour, and bites of yummy food, kind of farm-to-table themed, throughout the entire evening.”
Finney also mentioned several overnight accommodations in the area for potential guests, including the Preserve on the Batten Kill and the King’s Inn.
“There are cabs that come out here now, and Uber comes out to the farm,” said Finney. “We want everybody to have a good time, but be safe.”
And the Bash will offer a chance for the community to celebrate Halloween, with Finney saying, “we absolutely love doing the community events.”
“The community events are definitely really special to us, whether it’s the festivals, the farm dinners, or the annual Halloween party,” Finney said. “We just love meeting all of our neighbors.”
Gary & Dylan discuss the new “BooTown” Halloween festival in Fort Ann. Also discussed: five suspects arrested in connection with the Calamity Jane’s gun store burglary, the Batten Kill Railroad celebrates its 40th anniversary, a man accused of crashing into an ambulance, and over four thousand trout released into three lower Adirondack bodies of water.
00:02 – Intro 00:34 – Ad Break 1 01:13 – Story 1: Five Arrested in Gun Store Burglary 02:16 – Story 2: “BooTown” Halloween Festival 04:56 – Ad Break 2 05:16 – Story 3: Batten Kill Railroad Celebrates 40 Years 06:47 – Story 4: Man Accused of Crashing into Ambulance 07:19 – Story 5: Over 4k Trout Released into Adirondack Waters 08:13 – Outro
Artist rendering of the proposed Biochar plant in Moreau. (File photo)
MOREAU — The Clean Air Action Network of Glens Falls has filed an Article 78 petition against the Town of Moreau Planning Board and Saratoga Biochar Solutions, alleging that the Planning Board did not adhere to the State Environmental Quality Review Act before green-lighting a proposed agricultural fertilizer plant by Saratoga Biochar.
But Ray Apy, CEO of Northeastern Biochar Solutions, says the claims made are not accurate, saying they are “a delay tactic.”
“While we would not provide details specific to our planned response to the Article 78 complaint, I can tell you that the complaint is simply a delay tactic that is severely flawed in logic and law and will be readily defeated,” Apy said in a statement. “None of the claims made are remotely accurate.”
The planning board had issued a conditional negative declaration for the project in March, ruling that it would not have adverse environmental impacts. The petition filed by CAAN, however, says that the planning board has received “a variety of information” that should have led to the decision being revisited.
According to a release by CAAN, this information includes, “Saratoga Biochar’s admission that its facility would release PFAS into the air and that the sewage sludge would be trucked in from downstate and western New England.”
The Biochar facility would be the first in New York State, and would use pyrolysis to convert as much as 720 tons of sewage sludge per day into biochar, a charcoal soil amendment, according to the release. The facility would also release quantities of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, PFAS, and more.
A positive SEQRA declaration would have forced Saratoga Biochar to produce an Environmental Impact Statement, the release says, which would detail the project’s impact on the community.
“The interim planning board chairperson told me that in his 18 years on the Moreau Planning Board, no applicant has ever been required to do an Environmental Impact Statement,” said Clean Air Action Network chair Tracy Frisch in the release. “Such a track record suggests that the planning board has not been using all the tools at its disposal to protect the best interests of the community. Not only is the planning board failing the people of Moreau; it is also breaking the law.”
CAAN is aiming to have the Planning Board’s conditional negative declaration ruled invalid, and have the project re-examined by the Board.
Apy continues to dispute the suit, saying it is “unfortunate” that CAAN has chosen to fight and delay the project.
“What is really unfortunate in this is that a group that self-describes as ‘environmental’ has filed a complaint that will only delay a project that has tremendous environmental and human health benefits,” Apy said in his statement. “This does not change our plans for the Moreau Industrial Park at all.”
Gary & Dylan discuss the Special Olympics New York Fall Games held on Saturday. Also discussed: the “Malloween” trick-or-treating event coming to the Aviation Mall, SPoT Coffee raising money in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Warren County Municipal Center’s participation in Operation Green Light, and a local gun store broken into and burglarized.
00:02 – Intro 00:33 – Ad Break 1 01:12 – Story 1: “Malloween” At Aviation Mall 02:01 – Story 2: Special Olympics Fall Games 03:40 – Ad Break 2 04:00 – Story 3: SPoT Coffee Raising Money for Breast Cancer Awareness 05:02 – Story 4: Operation Green Light 05:55 – Story 5: Local Gun Store Burglarized 06:47 – Outro
After spending 15 years in the nonprofit sector, Lisa Munter has first-hand experience with the difficulties of finding and connecting with supporters. Now, she’s looking to change that with the launch of Knitt, a website to help nonprofit organizations and businesses connect with each other.
“Regardless of who I was volunteering for, I was still hearing the same level of frustration,” said Munter. “‘Where’s our next level of support going to come from?’”
Munter said many nonprofits do not have the time or funds to seek out necessary supporters, while saying that on the other side, business owners can become “inundated with responses.”
“Even though they want to do their due diligence, it’s reactionary, because a lot of times they’re just trying to keep up with the requests. They’re busy focusing on their job,” Munter said. “So a lot of times, you hear the pain point of frustration of getting inundated with requests, not really having a real mindfulness about who they’re giving to and why they’re giving.
“I just was like, ‘OK, how do we simplify this and bridge the gap?”
That is where Knitt comes in. Munter described Knitt as a “web-based platform that mindfully connects nonprofits and business owners in a time-efficient and sustainable way.”
“We call it the Match.com for philanthropy, because it really is just that,” said Munter.
Nonprofit organizations and businesses can fill out a profile on the site, and will be matched with organizations who share similar interests and values.
“What it does is it allows you to get out of the hamster wheel of the time that it takes in order to find the right relationships,” said Munter. “It’s like the ultimate networking platform.”
Knitt simplifies the process of connecting for nonprofits and businesses, but also ensures they are being connected with organizations that are strong fits.
“Giving should not be transactional,” Munter said. “It’s supposed to be purposeful, and it’s about sustainability, it’s about the relationship behind that.”
This can help businesses and nonprofits cut back on the time spent sending or receiving requests for support, Munter said.
“If you’re giving to multiple organizations, or you’re getting inundated with requests, or if you’re spending several hours a month filtering through all of the mailings and email and text requests, try Knitt,” said Munter. “Because it will simplify and streamline that process, and it will weed out those relationships that you have a hard time saying no to.”
Munter said that businesses can select which specific types of organizations they want to be matched with, helping avoid requests that may not be a good fit.
“It’s kind of a polite way of the ‘no solicitations’ sign, which can be negative,” Munter said.
Before launching, the Knitt website went through a long process, with Munter saying they went through a year and a half of customer discovery and launched a beta phase for businesses and nonprofits to test out.
“I met with local nonprofits and business owners, hearing all of the things that frustrate them, and how they would prefer it to be, and then built it into the platform,” said Munter.
And organizations were even finding matches in the beta phase, with Munter saying one nonprofit had been “trying for years” to connect with a potential donor before the two matched on Knitt during the beta phase.
“They happened to match on Knitt, during beta, and because of that fictitious relationship, it opened the door for an actual, real relationship,” Munter said. “Now that donor was going to help support their next fundraiser.”
Munter said she is proud of Knitt for helping organizations understand the reasons behind specific donations and support, which she referred to as “the why.”
“I feel like we are the only thing out there right now that really is a true understanding of the ‘why’. The why of the mission, and an understanding of the why of the donor, why they give,” said Munter. “Why not use Knitt, and you’re linked instantly. You know why you are matched, and then you can continue that journey of a conversation and a relationship.”
Knitt also has a decline feature for matched organizations, which requires the declining side to input a reason why the match was turned down.
“Sometimes the understanding of the no is just as valuable as the understanding of the yes,” said Munter, noting that it can allow organizations to see where their message could improve.
The site also has a suggestion box, allowing users to send in notes and comments on possible ways to improve the service.
Knitt operates on a subscription-based model, with Munter saying it is set up as a tiered system. Nonprofits pay a $50 signup fee, which Munter said helps Knitt vet the organizations. Nonprofits can then utilize the site for free until they receive $5,000 in donations, then are moved to a $40 per month plan according to the Knitt website.
It is similar for businesses, beginning as a free service until $2,500 is donated, at which point the donor is moved to a $20 per month plan, the website shows. The plans for both nonprofits and businesses continue to increase in price once other donation points are reached. Yearly payment plans are also offered.
“If you know you give to multiple organizations, or if you’re a new business to an area and you’re looking to get involved, sign up for Knitt,” said Munter. “Fill out your profile, and see who comes into your inbox.”
GLENS FALLS — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and SPoT Coffee is offering a chance to ‘get a shake and make a difference,’ through Halloween.
In collaboration with Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks, SPoT will donate $1 from each sale of their Protein Power Shakes at their Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls locations to Making Strides from Oct. 18 to Oct. 31.
Bill Dingman, district operations manager for SPoT’s Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls locations, said the promotion is “a great opportunity for us to get involved with a great cause.”
“They just reached out and asked if there was something we could do to support Breast Cancer Awareness month, and also their particular walk,” Dingman said. “We’re calling it a ‘Power in Pink’ promo, donating $1 for every Protein Power Shake throughout the end of the month.”
The promotion coincides with the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks’ ‘Making Strides Walk,’ taking place at the Glens Falls City Park on Sunday. The event begins at 9 a.m. with ‘Shake & Strides,’ featuring a local fitness instructor leading group exercises, with the walk route opening at 9:30 a.m. and the walk itself beginning at 10 a.m., according to the organization’s Facebook page.
“SPoT, in general, wants to be a part of the communities that their cafes are in,” said Dingman. “We like to support organizations that are established in the community, and doing great work for great causes.”
Dingman said the fundraiser is a chance to bring the community together, and raise money and awareness for a good cause.
“On a personal level, it’s always nice to create a sense of community and to have that sense of community. I think that events like this help that cause,” Dingman said. “We all find something to rally behind, and bring us together. We need that, I think, more now than ever. Community and being brought together. This is just a perfect opportunity to do that.”
Dingman noted that the walk will pass directly past SPoT’s Glens Falls location on Glen Street, saying this was even more of a reason for the company to get involved.
“We still want to give back, and be truly your neighborhood cafe and truly be a member of the community,” said Dingman.
The Making Strides walk will run from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Registration for the walk is still open, and more information is available at makingstrideswalk.org/adirondacks.
Gary & Dylan discuss the annual “Petal it Forward” campaign celebrated in Downtown Glens Falls. Also discussed: country singer Billy Gilman coming to the Charles R. Wood Theatre, North Creek approves the creation of a sewer district, three people accused of possessing counterfeit money, and The Strand Theatre’s upcoming Halloween-themed film screenings.
00:02 – Intro 00:34 – Ad Break 1 01:13 – Story 1: Strand Theatre Spooky Screenings 02:17 – Story 2: “Petal it Forward” Campaign 03:41 – Ad Break 2 04:00 – Story 3: North Creek Approves Sewer District 05:13 – Story 4: Three People Accused of Having Counterfeit Money 06:13 – Story 5: Billy Gilman Coming to Charles R. Wood Theatre 07:25 – Outro
Business owners and community members visit displays by local businesses at the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Business Expo at the Queensbury Hotel on Wednesday. (Photo by ARCC marketing director Amanda Blanton)
GLENS FALLS — The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted its 2022 Business Expo on Wednesday, with over 70 local businesses showcasing their offerings at The Queensbury Hotel.
ARCC President and CEO Tricia Rogers said the Expo was “just an exciting feel,” noting the event had 33 new businesses attend this year.
“So there’s a nice new mix of people that are here,” said Rogers. “We’re excited about that.”
The Expo, which saw 72 businesses attend in total, offers a valuable opportunity for local businesses to network and inform the community of their offerings. Rolly Merrill of GTM Payroll Services said the Expo is “very exciting” every year.
“The Adirondack Chamber does a great job,” said Merrill. “This year, especially after kind of going through COVID the last couple years, it’s really great to be back and have it in this brand-new ballroom here at The Queensbury Hotel.”
Tom Lyons of The Landing at Queensbury said the Expo is “an awesome opportunity.”
“For general awareness and networking, it’s always an awesome opportunity to connect with people and learn more about each other’s businesses,” said Lyons. “It’s just great to be here, answer questions, and learn more about each other’s industry.”
Merrill said the Expo offers a chance to meet new people, and reunite with others.
“When you come to something like this, you see old friends, but you meet new ones, and you make new relationships,” Merrill said. “That’s the positive about the Chamber in general, but this event in particular.”
The Expo ran from 4 to 7 p.m., spread across three rooms of The Queensbury Hotel including the new Adirondack Ballroom. Rogers said the Expo wouldn’t be possible without the support of The Queensbury.
“It really is something special,” Rogers said. “We do a lot of events with them, and they have absolutely set this up. It’s beautiful in here.”
Rogers also gave thanks to the Expo’s sponsors, saying “the support is truly overwhelming and appreciated.”
“We also live in a really great community,” added Rogers.
This sentiment was echoed by several businesses in attendance, with Lyons saying the Glens Falls area “has a super supportive community.”
“You can see that just by how busy this is, and engaged all these business owners and companies are,” said Lyons. “There’s a great value just in connecting again with everybody here and learning more. This particular community, in general, is very close-knit, very tight. So it’s always fun to be a part of it.”
Joshua Koons of Tech II said it is “great to see” everyone working together at the Expo.
“I think, especially in the Glens Falls region, there’s a very strong support structure,” Koons said. “It’s a tight-knit community, so I feel like all of the businesses are supporting each other.”
Lisa Munter of Knitt LLC said the Expo was a great experience, saying “everybody’s been really receptive and energetic.”
“I see this as a real synergetic opportunity for everybody to come together. It really shows the heart of the community here in the Glens Falls area,” said Munter. “Actually, one person came here and I said, ‘What do you do?’ They were like, ‘Oh, we’re just here to support a friend who has a booth.’ … That was really telling, and super exciting, that level of support.”
Rogers emphasized the support between businesses, saying she feels “that people want to lift each other up.”
“We’re all here, as businesses, supporting one another,” Rogers said. “We want to work through this interesting, coming out of this pandemic time, and that’s what I feel. I feel a sense of camaraderie and a sense of coming together. That’s really great.”
Premier sponsors for the 2022 Business Expo were Adirondack Technical Solutions, Hilltop Construction Company, and TD Bank. Presenting sponsors were National Grid, Phinney Design Group, and OrbitalFire Cybersecurity.
Gold sponsors for the Business Expo include Adirondack Trust Company, Berkshire Bank, Capital Bank, Fidelis Care, INOC Data Centers, KEENA, NBT Bank, Paula Traina State Farm, Pilot Knob Marina & Powersports, Quick Response Restoration, The Sagamore Resort, and Seeley Office Systems.
Gary & Dylan discuss the Warren-Washington Association for Mental Health’s new Law Enforcement Addictions and Mental Health Referral System. Also discussed: the Agricultural Stewardship Association accepting pre-applications for the state farmland protection program, preparations for Lake George’s Ice Castle winter attraction, a Greenfield woman pleaded guilty in connection with a fatal car crash, and a Cambridge restaurant closed as it seeks out new ownership.
00:02 – Intro 00:39 – Ad Break 1 01:18 – Story 1: Farmland Protection Applications 02:03 – Story 2: Lake George Ice Castles 03:20 – Ad Break 2 03:39 – Story 3: LEAMHRS Program 05:13 – Story 4: Greenfield Woman Pleads Guilty in Fatal Crash 06:22 – Story 5: Cambridge Restaurant Seeks New Owner 07:18 – Outro
