On Thursday, December 8th, The Glens Falls Collaborative is hosting Glens Falls Ladies Night from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Participating businesses will stay open late, offering a variety of discounts; and bars, restaurants & eateries will have special offerings as well.
The Glens Falls Collaborative is a membership organization whose mission is to band together and support Glens Falls. This group organizes festivals, creates advertisements and holds mixers, along with working with the city of Glens Falls on hospitality efforts.
Amongst the shops and stores that are participating in this event, there will also be a pop up party at The WorkSmart Coworking & Meeting Space. This shared workspace concept is a locally owned and certified NYS women-owned business, which is owned by Christy Alexander. The workspace is scaled to individual needs, and utilizes membership plans with different tiers: the four tier system ranges from a $25 per day drop in pass, $159 per month shared workspace, $309 per month dedicated desk, & $409 and up per private office.
Christy Alexander owner of WorkSmart
The WorkSmart concept helps people who work remotely create a dedicated workspace. There are some challenges to working from home, including distractions, and the blurred lines between home life and work life… WorkSmart creates an environment where people can better concentrate on their work, and also collaborate with other professionals. For people interested in trying out the workspace, there are $25 “Drop-In Passes” available. These passes can be purchased online, and offer a choice of using the shared workspace or a private office; or a meeting room can also be booked. WorkSmart is located at 237 Glen Street, in Glens Falls, NY. For more information, visit worksmartgf.com.
The Glens Falls Collaborative has hosted events that are synonymous with Glens Falls Festivals, including the Adirondack Christkindlmarket, Wing Fest, and Take a Bite. For more information about Glens Falls Ladies’ Night and The Glens Falls Collaborative, visit https://glensfallscollaborative.com/.
Today, Gary discusses the approval of Lake George Central School District’s proposal for a new bus garage. Also, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office warns residents of a potential scammer in the area, the Town and Village of Lake George address water supply concerns, and The Long Horn Restaurant and Pub holds a fundraiser to benefit one of their employees.
00:03 – Intro 00:35 – Ad Break 1 01:44 – Story 1: Scammer Alert 02:23 – Story 2: Lake George Water Concerns 04:11 – Ad Break 2 04:34 – Story 3: Lake George Bus Garage Approved 09:27 – Story 4: Long Horn Fundraiser 11:01 – Outro
The Warren County job fair is scheduled for Monday December 12, 2022. This event will be held at the Warrensburg Fire Station on 18 Elm Street, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Businesses located in Warrensburg, Chester, Johnsburg, Thurman, Horicon, Hauge & Stony Creek are invited to register for this hiring event; there is room for up to 20 businesses. This event will include Warren County agencies, such as Warren County Department of Public Works and Countryside Adult Home.
“While the unemployment rate remains low, we still see great value in hosting job fairs to promote all of the great employment options that exist in our community. We have excellent places to work in the northern part of the county, and sometimes they just need the spotlight and the exposure so more residents know about these employers” said Liza Ochsendorf, Warren County Director of Workforce Development.
There had been a previous job fair on October 20, 2022, at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls; that event hosted 11 employers and 31 job seekers. Businesses that would like to participate are asked to register online at form.jotform.com. Job seekers are not required to register – they can walk in between the hours of 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM on December 12, 2022. For more information, email ochsendorfl@warrencountyny.gov or call (518) 824-8865.
As much as all of us would love for COVID-19 to be a thing of the past, sadly it is not… As with the cycle of any virus, cases tend to spike after a holiday.
There have been 2 more COVID-19 related deaths, according to Warren County Health Services: these individuals passed away at area hospitals, and were in advanced years of 70s and 80s. Of the 11 cases reported to Warren County on December 5, 2022, 6 were found from home testing. There are 5 people in the hospital in Warren county with COVID-19; this is an increase of 1 person. In the last 5 days, there have been 100 reported cases of COVID-19.
An Axios/Ipsos poll shows that most Americans are not worried about COVID going into the holiday season: one out of three polled saw contracting COVID as a high risk. It seems that Americans are calculating the risk of COVID, and moving on. Half of Americans have returned to their pre COVID routines. According to the poll, American feel optimistic about their health and their financial health. A larger percentage still support government efforts to fight the virus; however, 44% of respondents say that the government has spent enough on fighting COVID, and it’s time to move on.
86% of Americans feel that they are in a better place than they were a year ago, though 84% of Americans feel that we will not be completely rid of the virus in our lifetime.
As we calculate the risks of contracting COVID, there are steps to take to try and avoid getting the virus and spreading the virus. Warren County Public Health suggests:
Stay up to date with the latest booster
Tell guests to stay home if they are feeling sick (even without a fever)
Ask guests to take a home COVID test before arriving
Make gatherings a bit smaller
Encourage guests with weakened immune systems to wear masks
Increase air ventilation
After the gathering monitor for signs of symptoms
Warren County is deemed to have “low’ community levels of COVID-19.
COVID-19 home tests are available and free to the public: they are located at the Warren County Municipal Center (DMV & Human Services Building entrances), Glens Falls City Hall, and town halls around Warren County.
Adrian Simental was arraigned on Monday, December 5, 2022, at the Queensbury Town Court. He is accused of firing a handgun at Brandon Grant, a 52-year-old New York City man. The incident is alleged to have occurred after an aggressive driving incident moments earlier on Route 9 in Queensbury: Police said Simental followed Grant into the Walmart parking lot, where a verbal and physical fight occurred. Simental allegedly then shot Grant in the abdomen. Grant was treated at both Glens Falls Hospital and Albany Medical Center, and has since been released.
Simental faces felony charges of attempted first-degree assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
According to NY Penal Law, first-degree assault is a criminal offense that involves intentionally or recklessly harming another person; assault in the first degree is the most serious type of assault you can commit. In order to be convicted of assault in the first degree, the prosecutor must show the following:
That you injured someone using a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, and you had intent to cause serious injury or,
That you injured someone, and you had the intent to seriously and permanently disfigure or,
That you seriously injured someone, and you did so in manner that showed you had depraved indifference to human life or,
That you seriously injured someone while committing a felony
Felony assault is a Class B felony.
The maximum sentence for being convicted of assault in the first degree is up to 25 years in prison, and as it’s a violent felony offense, the minimum possible sentence is 5 years.
Simental also faces second degree criminal possession of a weapon; this is the most serious of the criminal possession charges. It is against the law to possess a loaded firearm in your vehicle without a license for it. It is also illegal to possess a disguised firearm with the intent to use it in an illegal manner.
This is a class C felony, and could result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years, and since it’s also classified as a violent felony offense, the minimum possible sentence is 3 years. Probation is not an option, even if the offender has no prior criminal record.
According to court documents, Simental said, “I’m a general laborer, but mostly now it’s gonna have to be construction. They are the only ones that take felons, right?”
His next court appearance will be January 3, 2023. He is being held at Warren County Jail, for lack of $200,000 cash bail or $600,000 bail bond.
Today, Gary discusses the Bill Gates Diner set to make its grand return to the Town of Bolton. Also in the news, some exciting plans for next year’s Lake George Music Festival, the Michelle Bennett Memorial Basketball Tournament at Queensbury High School, and Warren County 4-H opens submissions for its annual pet photo contest.
Also, Gary apologizes for the sound of his voice. It was a very long day.
00:02 – Intro 00:32 – Ad Break 1 01:48 – Story 1: Turning Point for Lake George Music Festival 03:51 – Story 2: Michelle Bennett Memorial Tournament 05:30 – Ad Break 2 05:54 – Story 3: Bill Gates Diner to Return to Bolton 09:27 – Story 4: Warren County 4-H Pet Photo Contest 11:01 – Outro
We love a good non-work-related holiday party. Work related? As lawyers like to say, it depends. But both can get the host – and attendees – in trouble. Here are some tips for avoiding lawsuits and headaches related to holiday parties.
Employment issues: Sexual harassment or assault is an obvious concern particularly when alcohol is involved. If something happens at a work function, and it’s reported and the employer does nothing about it – or the perpetrator of bad behavior is the boss – it can result in a host of legal problems. Not only can this conduct implicate employment law issues, but intentional conduct by the boss can get around the Workers’ Compensation bar that usually prevents employees from suing their employer in negligence or for intentional torts (like assault or battery). And if the victim is a guest, and not an employee, they can also sue for negligence.
Tip to avoid: If you are the employer, the party pooper in us says spare your employees another work-related obligation and give everyone a bonus. Barring that, keep an eye on how much alcohol is served and if someone is starting to behave badly, get them home safely. If inappropriate behavior is reported, take it seriously, don’t brush it off, do an investigation and, if appropriate, discipline or counsel the perpetrator. Don’t retaliate against the complainer or make them feel like they aren’t being protected – this is when people call lawyers.
If you are the employee, remember that this is fun but still work. Inappropriate behavior or offensive conversation can have repercussions. Most employees in New York are at will, meaning that you can be fired at any time for any reason as long as it’s not discriminatory or because of protected activity (i.e., retaliatory). As long as an employer applies its code of conduct evenly, it’s unlikely you’ll have any recourse if you’re fired for behaving badly at a holiday party.
Premises liability: If you are hosting a party on property you own or have control over, you are liable for injuries caused by dangerous conditions on the property that you knew or should have known of, or that you created. This can include dangerous people present on the property.
Tip to avoid: Make sure your homeowner’s insurance is up to date. This would also be a good time to fix any safety issues you know about and have been ignoring (for example, is everyone going to be entering your house on a wobbly front step, or where a handrail is loose?). In winter, you also want to be sure there isn’t an accumulation of ice or snow where people will be parking and walking. The law only gives us a reasonable period of time after a storm to clean up.
Dog bites: Does your dog get too excited, anxious or aggressive when strangers or a lot of people are around? Pet owners are strictly liable (meaning it doesn’t matter if you were negligent, i.e., careful or not careful) for injuries caused by their animals if they knew or should have known that the animal has dangerous propensities. Under the law, “dangerous” doesn’t always have to be “vicious” (as in Cujo), even though that’s a common term used when talking about dog-bite legal issues.
Tip to avoid: Put your dog somewhere it can’t escape or will not be walked in on, or out of the house completely. Warning people is not going to help you in this situation.
Dram Shop (bar owners and commercial sales): Do you own a bar? Bars in New York are liable for injuries caused by individuals who are over served. So, if you serve a visibly intoxicated person and they leave and injure or kill someone in a drunk driving accident, you can get in big trouble.
Tip to avoid: Don’t be afraid to refuse to serve, refuse to pour shots, or kick people out.
Dram Shop (furnishing alcohol to minors): New York’s Dram Shop law also makes it illegal to furnish or procure alcohol for minors (under the age of 21). This is a good way to get in trouble during a house party and or if you have rented an establishment for a party and serve minors.
Tip to avoid: Don’t do it and don’t turn a blind eye to it if it’s happening under your roof.
We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season, and thank you for reading!
To learn more about how D’Orazio Peterson can help you, visit here or go to our website: www.doraziopeterson.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Giovanna A. D’Orazio has experience litigating, among other things, commercial, general civil, employment, land use and personal injury matters in New York State and federal courts. Giovanna also has experience litigating Article 78 proceedings in New York State court.
On Friday, December 2nd, at The Albany County Rink, the Capital District Jets met the Queensbury Spartans on the ice. Action got started early when the Jets scored on a collaboration between McKinney and Davidson; Mckinney is credited with the Assist and Davidson the goal. Queensbury did not let the period end in a shutout, as Tyler Dufour scored assisted by both Michael Deutsch and Nick Ogden. However, Davidson scored again for the Jets; the opening period ended Jets 2, Spartans 1.
The 2nd period saw only one goal scored by the Jets; Walsh. He was assisted by both See and McKinney.
The 3rd Period kept both goaltenders busy as the Jets and Spartans traded goals. Queensbury opened up the period with a shorthanded goal by Mack Ryan, but Mckinney and Davidson worked together again to score about 6 minutes later. Davidson switched up his dance partners and was assisted by Wilson to score the Jets last and deciding goal of the game. Queensbury made a gallant comeback effort as Tanner Fearman and Keegan Lazier connected for back to back goals; however, the Spartans came up short, and the Jets held on to win with a final score of Jets 5, Spartans 4.
The Jets Goalie, Shanahan, had 56 saves ,and Queensbury’s Jacob Fanciulio had 16 saves.
Coming up this Wednesday, December 7, 2022, The Queensbury Spartans will face the Adirondack Rivermen at the Cool Insuring Arena. Puck drops at 6:15 PM!
The Leapfrog Group gave out high grades to both Saratoga Hospital and Glens Falls Hospital for patient safety: Saratoga Hospital earned an ‘A’ and Glens Falls Hospital earned a ‘B’. These grades place both hospitals in the top 25% of New York State facilities for this category! This shows a rising dedication to patient safety, as Glens Falls Hospital had previously received a ‘C’ score in 2019 and 2020 and a ‘B’ score in 2021, while Saratoga Hospital had received ‘C’ scores from 2019 until this most recent evaluation.
The Leapfrog Group created and administers The Leapfrog Group Safety Grades. This system of grades is a national leader and advocate for hospital transparency, and is both independent and not-for-profit. The goal of the Leapfrog Group is to save lives by reducing errors, injuries, accidents, & infections. They gather the relevant data through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey: this survey is trusted and transparent, and it includes 2,300 hospitals that participate voluntarily and free of charge.
“Our Leapfrog score reflects our culture of safety and 24/7 commitment to protecting patients from preventable harm and error” Saratoga Hospital President & CEO Jill J. Vankuren said via press release. “The ‘A’ grade is a tribute to our team and a source of assurance to our patients, who can be confident they’re receiving care at one of New York’s safest hospitals.”
The Leapfrog safety system assigns letter grades twice a year to general hospitals based on over 30 measures of patient safety. 30% of U.S. hospitals earned the highest rating of ‘A’ . 28% earned a ‘B’. Participating in this safety survey gives both Glens Falls Hospital and Saratoga Hospital an opportunity to share best practices for patient safety.
“Quality improvement across the system occurs through collaboration. As we continue to work together, we are seeing many benefits.” Paul Scimeca, President and CEO of Glens Falls Hospital said. “The Albany Med Health System will continually evolve and improve in the future, and we look forward to working even more closely with Albany Medical Center, Columbia Memorial Health and Saratoga Hospital.”
Vankuren emphasized the shared commitment throughout the shared hospitals systems; the commitment to excellent patient care and continuous quality improvement.
“Patient safety is a top priority for the entire system.” she said. “Our goal, through collaboration and sharing of best practices, is for all our hospitals to achieve the highest grade.” The Albany Medical Health System includes: Albany Medical Center, Albany Medical College, Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital, and The Visiting Nurses.
This weekend at Queensbury High School, the Gold and Blue gymnasiums were filled with basketball games at the Michelle Bennett Memorial Basketball Tournament: the girls Varsity teams filled the Blue Gym, while the JV teams from each of the programs competed in the Gold Gym.
Michelle Bennett
The tournament featured 50/50 raffles throughout the weekend, sold home made baked goods, and charged a small entrance fee. Hudson Falls, Guilderland, Glens Falls, Cohoes, Queensbury, & Niskayuna each played two games in this unseeded, play-around tournament.
The Guilderland & Niskayuna Varsity girls teams came out of the weekend undefeated! On Friday, Guilderland beat Hudson Falls 55-34, and on Saturday they beat host team Queensbury 41-31. Niskayuna handed Queensbury the loss on Friday 46-28, and toppled Glens Falls on Saturday, 74-39. Glens Fall enjoyed a win for their season opener on Friday night over Cohoes at 62-44.
Hudson Falls and Cohoes were in a barnburner on Saturday: this match saw “the Tigers vs. the Tigers”. The two teams traded points throughout the second half of the game, each team racing down the court executing plays and hitting foul shots… Regulation ended in a 46-46 tie; however, Hudson Falls pulled away in overtime, and the final score was 56-50.
End of regulation play
It was a wonderful weekend to honor and remember a member of both the Queensbury and Glens Falls Communities: Michelle Bennet was a loving mother, teacher, leader and friend.
