Saratoga Looks To Build On Belmont Momentum During Summer Racing Season
BY PAUL POST
Golden Tempo’s dramatic come-frombehind Belmont Stakes victory set the stage for what promises to be an exciting summer season at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux, a Saratoga Springs native, made history by becoming the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby and the first to win multiple Triple Crown races.
DeVaux has already mapped out a schedule targeting the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Saturday, Aug. 29, which should no doubt bring huge throngs to the Spa.
“I think the timing is perfect for Golden Tempo to run in the Travers,” said longtime fan Mike Campanile of Long Island. “He is only getting better and the two-plus months between races is perfect. Then it’s almost exactly two months to the Breeders’ Cup. I hope he stays sound.”
Campanile, along with family and friends, is among the legions of visitors who help make Saratoga Race Course one of the Capital Region’s most significant economic engines.
Each day of racing generates an estimated $9 million economic impact. So the benefit from this year’s 51-day schedule is almost half a billion dollars.
Such activity includes direct spending and broader ripple effects, giving a huge boost to local businesses such as hotels, restaurants and retail stores.
Local government revenue increased, too.
“From 2023, before we hosted the Belmont festival, to 2024, we saw an increase in sales tax collections in Saratoga County,” said Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “They rose again in 2025. The same is true for revenue-per-available hotel room in the city and county. Where people stay is where they spend their money and more people stayed here so sales tax collections went up.”
The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will return to New York City next spring following its three-year run in Saratoga while Belmont Park underwent a major overhaul. But the benefit to the Saratoga area will be felt for years to come.
Three-year attendance at the Belmont festival totaled 334,893 and accounted for almost $560 million in total wagering. But the worldwide publicity the event created is virtually priceless for the area’s tourism and hospitality industry.
“The 2026 Belmont Stakes was a fitting conclusion to a memorable and historic three-year period at Saratoga Race Course,” said Patrick McKenna, New York Racing Association vice president of communications. “Thanks to the enthusiastic support
The Children’s Museum At Saratoga Advances Expansion With Historic $750,000 Gift
The Children’s Museum at Saratoga announced a $750,000 gift from the Esler Family, the largest gift in the organization’s history, for its $1.3 million capital campaign. The gift brings the campaign total to $1.05 million and will support the Esler Family Room and other changes intended to serve children, families, educators and community partners.
The museum relocated to the Lincoln Baths in 2021 and has expanded exhibits and programs. Recent projects include an interactive train station in the lobby, a universally accessible playground and an outdoor learning space.
The campaign will fund an Adirondackinspired Esler Family Room and allow the museum to reconfigure space for staff and operations. The museum said its staff has grown from five to 18 employees over the past five years as visitation, programming and community engagement increased.
The Esler Family Room will be used for field trips, hands-on learning and museum programs. It also will provide a lunch area for visiting school groups.
“This gift represents an investment in the future of the Museum and the families we serve,” said Sarah Smith, Executive Director of the Children’s Museum at Saratoga. “As our programs and attendance continue to grow, so does the need for
spaces that support meaningful learning experiences. The Esler Family's generosity allows us to create an exciting new environment for children while ensuring we have the resources and infrastructure necessary to continue serving our community for years to come.”
“The Children’s Museum at Saratoga represents everything we believe learning should be; joyful, curious, hands-on, and accessible,” said Matt Esler, CEO of Esler Companies, and more importantly “Grandpa.” “This commitment is about investing in a place that sparks imagination and confidence in children, not just for today, but for generations to come. We’re proud to support an organization that has such a meaningful and lasting impact on families throughout Saratoga County and far beyond.”
The Esler Family has been museum members for three years.
“As grandparents and members of the Saratoga Community, we’ve watched the Museum grow and evolve, and we’ve seen the way it brings families together across generations,” said Kristen Esler, Founder of the Thirty Year Farm and of course “Grandma.” “Whether it’s a child’s first visit, a school field trip, or a grandparent sharing a special day with their grandchild,
from fans and the collaborative efforts from city and county leadership, the Belmont was a celebration of what makes racing in Saratoga so special. While the Belmont Stakes will return to its Long Island home in 2027, the final jewel of the Triple Crown will always be a part of Saratoga’s rich history.”
“Beyond the thrilling performances ontrack, the event drove important economic impact for Saratoga Springs and the Capital Region while highlighting Saratoga’s tourism attractions to a national television audience,” he said.
In addition to five days of top-flight racing, the festival attracted thousands of people to the city with entertainment such as a free Belmont on Broadway concert.
“The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival definitely exceeded expectations both on and off the track,” Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri said. “Over three years, we welcomed visitors from across the country and around the world, generated demand for hotels, restaurants, attractions, and retail businesses, and showcased Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County on an international stage. The event reinforced what we’ve long known locally, that Saratoga is capable of hosting world-class events while delivering an exceptional visitor experience.”
“One of the most important long-term benefits of Belmont has been the exposure,” he said. “The worldwide media coverage introduced Saratoga to audiences who may have never previously considered visiting. While the immediate economic impact during race week was substantial, the lasting value comes from elevating Saratoga’s profile as a premier destination for tourism, meetings, events, cultural experiences, and future investment.”
Saratoga Economic Development Corp. President Greg Connor said racing’s financial benefit extends far beyond hospitality and tourism. Capital investors who have come to Saratoga Springs and the region “follow up with us after the racing season is over for other economic opportunities,” he said.
SEDC has executed four nondisclosure agreements on potential capital investments that officials hope will come to Saratoga County as a result of international, national and regional attention generated by the Belmont Stakes festival.
“The work continues,” Connor said. Forty-six more days of racing are on tap this summer, starting with the July 4th Racing Festival from Friday, July 3, to Sunday, July 5. The Spa Oval will then host a series of four-day racing weeks, Thursday through Sunday, from Thursday, July 9, to
Parillo’s Sausage In The Process Of Significant Growth Under Leadership Of Third Generation
BY ROD BACON
“Three generations of flavor, tradition, and heart.”
For Marisa Parillo Rahman, this tagline encapsulates everything she loves about the family-owned Saratoga Springs company she has been running since November 2024, after her father, Marc Parillo, died.
When Rahman assumed leadership of the business, she had plans to significantly expand its market and upgrade its facility to meet U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.
“We’re one hundred percent at code with the city, state, and federal government,” she said. “The equipment required to make the sausage has been upgraded and we’re in the process of making improvements to the building.”
Latham Roofing & Siding installed a new roof, the bathroom and office have been renovated, new appliances have been purchased, electrical service has been upgraded, and some interior painting has been done. Future plans call for the repair of a large walk-in freezer that will allow for the storage of large quantities of product.
Ernie LaBounty, a longtime employee of Marc Parillo’s, has been named manager to oversee day-to-day operations. He is responsible for all aspects of making the sausage, as well as running the pop-up grills held in the company’s parking lot each Friday and Satur-
is cyclical, with high points occurring during the summer, as well as around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
day through the summer. He also greets walkin customers when Rahman is not available. The business
Jockey Jose Ortiz crosses the finish line with Golden Tempo to win the 158th running of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on June 6. Trainer Cherie DeVaux is expected to enter the champion 3-year-old in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on Saturday, Aug. 29.
Marisa Parillo Rahman and Jack O’Callaghan stand at Parillo’s Sausages summer pop-up grill. Saratoga Business Journal
Personnel Briefs
Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP said Cynthia-Clare Tagoe has joined the firm as Of Counsel in its Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Information Management and Business, Corporate and Commercial practice groups. She will focus on intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, commercial and technology transactions, data privacy and protection, risk management and subsidiary management.
Tagoe has more than two decades of experience advising global organizations on commercial transactions, intellectual property, compliance, technology matters and litigation. Most recently, she was vice president and general counsel at QSC, LLC, overseeing legal matters for the company’s global operations, including mergers and acquisitions, technology transactions, litigation, ethics and compliance, data privacy and protection and risk management.
She previously served as assistant general counsel at Lockheed Martin Corporation and spent more than a decade as senior corporate counsel at Caterpillar Inc.
Tagoe earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a J.D., cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and a B.S., summa cum laude, from Central State University. She is admitted to practice in New York and California and is also admitted before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP has more than 125 attorneys and has served public and private sector clients for 50 years across a
range of practice areas, including intellectual property, cybersecurity and data privacy. *
The Arrow Family of Companies promoted Harry Kabalian and Amy Merchant to senior vice president roles on May 27, 2026. Kabalian is senior vice president and director of financial planning and analysis and treasury. He has been with Arrow since 2019 and has more than 35 years of accounting experience, including 10 years in banking. A certified public accountant, he leads financial planning, analysis and budgeting and supports the company’s financial strategy and performance.
Merchant is senior vice president and director of employee total rewards. She recently marked 25 years with Arrow and has more than 35 years of human resources experience. She manages compensation, payroll, benefits, human resources information systems and leave management.
“Harry and Amy are exceptional leaders whose experience, dedication and commitment to our organization have made a meaningful impact on Arrow’s success,” said President and CEO Dave DeMarco.
Arrow Financial Corporation is headquartered in Glens Falls, New York, and is the par-
ent of Arrow Bank National Association and Upstate Agency, LLC.
Sasha Pardy, CoOwner and President of Adirondack Winery and Extreme Heights Cidery and owner of Adirondack Festivals, has been named one of the New York State Restaurant Association’s “10 Women to Watch” in Hospitality for 2026. NYSRA said the honorees represent women “who seem to do it all and do it with excellence,” recognizing leaders who create meaningful change within hospitality while inspiring others through resilience, vision, and dedication.
Pardy will be recognized during the 2026 Women in Hospitality Conference, presented in partnership with Google, on June 2 at Google St. John’s Terminal in New York City.
Pardy co-founded Adirondack Winery in 2008. The company produces over 15,000 cases annually and sources grapes from the Finger Lakes, Long Island and other regions. In 2022, the company expanded with its Queensbury location, which includes a Restobar and “The Mezz” event venue.
Pardy was nominated by Gina Mintzer, Executive Director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB, and has served on the Board of the Chamber & CVB for over 15 years.
Provided by Adirondack Winery LLC; edited for style and length.
* * * *
Discover Saratoga said Saratoga Springs, N.Y., ranked No. 6 in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Summer Travel Destinations, its second consecutive year in the national top 10.
The destination’s summer season includes thoroughbred racing at Saratoga Race Course, performances at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, outdoor recreation and wellness offerings, and dining and shopping downtown.
“We are honored to once again be recognized among the country’s best summer travel destinations,” said Darryl Leggieri, president of Discover Saratoga.
Discover Saratoga said several Saratoga County businesses are nominated in other USA TODAY 10Best categories: Sweet Mimi’s Café & Bakery, Saratoga Chocolate Co. and Darling Doughnuts.
Provided by Discover Saratoga; edited for style and length.
Children's Museum at Saratoga
Continued From Page 1
the Museum creates memories while building foundational skills. Supporting this expansion felt like a natural extension of our belief in the power of play and its ability to shape confident, curious learners.”
The project is intended to improve the visitor experience, support educational programs and help the museum continue serving children. Admission details, memberships and hours are available at https:// cmssny.org/ or at the museum, 65 South
Broadway, Saratoga Springs. About The Children’s Museum at Saratoga (CMAS). The Children’s Museum at Saratoga is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on interactive learning, parent involvement, service to regional school districts and access for all children. More information is available at https://cmssny. org. Provided by The Children’s Museum at Saratoga; edited for style and length.
Whalen’s Horseradish Products Plans Wholesale and Private Label Expansion
BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL
“Th ings are about to get hotter in Texas,” said Tim Bibens, owner of Whalen’s Horseradish Products, the iconic, local specialty food company now in its 101st year.
In a fi rst for the company, 10 Central Market grocery stores in the Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio areas began stocking Whalen’s brand of handcrafted horseradish condiments in their refrigerator sections at the beginning of June.
Distribution has been regional since Bibens and his wife, Holly, purchased the company from his cousin 14 years ago. Gourmet food shops, trade shows, craft fairs and farmers markets around New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont have continued to be successful outlets to taste and purchase Whalen’s sauces, cheeses, mustards, pickles and other products, where the horseradish they prepare by a proprietary method is the star ingredient.
One of the early changes the Bibenses made when they relocated from the Rochester area to operate the company was moving the business from Milton to Galway. Th is enabled them in June 2014 to open a stand-alone retail shop on a busy road, Whalen’s Root Cellar at 1710 Route 29.
“We were also motivated to consolidate production, shipping, and receiving for our retail operation into a single space,” he said. “Galway is my Mom’s hometown, so it’s a good sign that we are here.”
Some of the newer products at the Root Cellar include brick cheese and cheese curds. There are also olives, pickled beets, seafood sauce, beer cheese and specialty items made in smaller batches throughout the year, such as holiday cheese balls, cranberry relish and pickled okra, which may not be available for purchase at Whalen’s online store.
“It’s always worth a visit to the shop to see what’s popping out of the kitchen,” he said. “We also carry local products that enhance
the grilling experience, including custom sauces on the spicy side or the savory side, maple products, plus nuts and popcorn to enjoy with company.”
Fresh ingredients used in Whalen’s products are purchased by the bushel from local farmers markets, and the horseradish root is shipped two or three times a year so supplies are fresh, Bibens said. These shipments come directly from Collinsville, Illinois, which, along with surrounding areas in the southern part of the state, claims to be “the horseradish capital of the world.”
“The grower hand picks the root for me and we store it fresh and unprocessed,” he said. “There’s no need for me to dig in the ground.”
Bibens can achieve nuances of flavor and heat levels from the root by timing how long ingredients rest at certain stages. Each product has a heat level and some “give that olfactory kick in the nose while others are tamer, like the mustard sauce and cheeses,” he said.
“We stay true to the tradition of hand peeling and the brining process maintained for more than 100 years,” he said.
Private labeling of Whalen’s products is available for customers within an approximately 100-mile radius. Th is sales channel includes breweries, meat shops, restaurants and specialty shops where foodies can “fi re up and eat root” as a complement to that company’s own food products, he said.
The Texas order may be the fi rst of several opportunities to get Whalen’s Horseradish into larger grocery chains. Bibens said he is developing relationships with Hannaford and Price Chopper to get Whalen’s products into those stores regionally.
Wholesale deals will change the business in several ways.
“There will be a more consistent revenue stream throughout the year, whereas sales tend to spike in Summer when more people are in town,” he said. “We may need to add
The Pearl Will Bring Fine New England Cuisine to Saratoga Springs Gastronomes
BY ROD BACON
A well-respected Saratoga Springs restaurateur is creating his second restaurant in the Spa City.
Ronnie Solevo, who has owned Solevo’s Kitchen + Social on Phila Street for eight years, plans to open The Pearl this fall.
“The Pearl is a reference to my New England roots growing up in southern Connecticut on the shoreline,” Solevo said.
While The Pearl’s menu is still being developed, Solevo said the restaurant is installing an ice display raw bar that will feature live shucking in front of patrons. There will be daily changing seafood selections, as well as meat options and choices for vegetarians and vegans.
“We have incredible access to purveyors in Boston, New York and southern New England, where seafood could come out of the water in the middle of the night and make it onto your plate a few hours later,” he said.
Solevo purchased the business and furnishings of the former Scallion’s on Lake Avenue from owners Eric and Liz Swoyer. Renovations are underway by Ballston Lake-based Carter-Lamansky Construction. Kennedy Taylor, owner of Studio K in Saratoga Springs, is leading the design team.
He noted that if the building is listed for sale, he is interested in purchasing it.
Upgrades include new electrical and plumbing systems, as well as cosmetic improvements, which he is not divulging at this time.
“One of the best things conceptually about The Pearl is that the pearl itself is a rare and often secretive gem that is difficult to find. Concepts and designs for the restaurant are going to remain relatively ‘pearl-escient’ and under wraps,” he said.
When renovations are completed, the restaurant will seat 75 patrons and offer outdoor dining during the warmer months.
While it might not happen initially, the goal is to be open seven days a week year-round, serving lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends.
Solevo has 35 employees at his current restaurant, some of whom will do “double duty” at The Pearl. He is the executive chef at both.
“The plan is to bring our hospitality culture to the new restaurant from Solevo’s and we will fill out the rest of the staff around that,” he said. “It comes down to the team around me; that’s really what makes it possible.”
Solevo’s Kitchen has a Wine Spectator awardwinning wine list with a heavy focus on regional Italian wines. Solevo said that because of his experience as a sommelier and wine consultant, along with that of his brother Joseph and his wine directors, the selection at The Pearl will be equally impressive.
“We work really hard to select wines that pair well with our food, are responsibly made, and are not the easiest to find,” he said. “We love exposing people to new varietals from different regions across Italy.”
He noted that Cherie DeVaux had her celebratory dinner at Solevo’s Kitchen after Golden Tempo’s win at the Belmont Stakes in Saratoga.
“It’s a little sad that the Belmont isn’t going to be back in Saratoga next year,” he said. “As difficult as that is, the challenge is invigorating and definitely lights the fire for all of us. We went out with a bang, that’s for sure.”
To learn more about the dining options at Solevo’s Kitchen + Social, go to solevokitchenandsocial.com.
To keep track of the progress of The Pearl, go to thepearlsaratoga.com.
Tim Bibens, owner of Whalen’s Horseradish Products, stands behind a product display as the Galway specialty food company pursues wholesale and private-label growth beyond its regional market.
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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL
Magic Meadows Brings Imaginative Indoor Play To Saratoga County Families
BY CAROL ANN CONOVER
Cassie Pinn opened an indoor children’s play facility in Clifton Park not to follow a business trend, but to fill a need she had seen for years while raising seven children and running a home day care.
Magic Meadows, a 3,000-square-foot imaginative play facility, opened in late January or early February in a former dance studio next to Ravenswood Restaurant. Pinn is the only staff member on the floor, and the vision is unmistakably her own.
“It was hard to find a place that wasn’t overwhelming, that wasn’t overstimulating, where kids could just go and actually play — not just run around, but interact with each other, have that imaginative play,” Pinn said.
The facility centers on a miniature interactive town. Children can ride pedal cars along a road to a diner, grocery store, veterinary clinic, schoolhouse, camping area, construction zone and working boat where they can pretend to fish. A mail truck and mailboxes at each “house” let children play letter carrier. A fenced toddler area serves children under 2, while a second room — the “jungle room” — has a foam pit, obstacle course and open space for children who need to move.
$150, saving families $50, and has been popular with regulars. On Wednesdays and Fridays, “Mini Meadows” playtime offers half-price admission for children under 3.
Magic Meadows is open Tuesday through Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m. Pinn is considering extending Friday hours for school-age children who arrive after dismissal.
The buildout brought challenges. A week before the planned opening, a code enforcement inspection found the freestanding, house-shaped play structures exceeded New York state’s height limit for indoor structures. They stood 6 feet, 3 inches; code required them to be under 6 feet.
“A week before we opened, we had to chop all of our houses down by three inches in order to pass code,” Pinn said. “It was some long exhausting nights, but we got it done, and now we’re within code and nothing is combustible. That’s all that matters.”
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“Everything that they touch out there has a purpose,” Pinn said. “It’s motor skills, it’s very occupational in a sense — occupational therapy. It’s very interactive and it all just has a secondary purpose to it that they don’t really quite understand yet, but it’s building knowledge.”
The facility serves children from newborn through about age 8, though older siblings often find plenty to do when they come with younger children. Wide-open fronts make each play area accessible for children with mobility challenges. A parent lounge overlooks the main room and offers free coffee, Wi-Fi and seating, drawing working parents, grandparents, nannies and caregiver groups.
“I have seen so many parents who have just made this little group,” Pinn said. “Their kids are playing, they’re doing their work — it’s turning out really well.”
A homeschooling parent who visited with three children summed up the experience for Pinn. “This is the most work I’ve ever gotten done,” the visitor told Pinn. “They have never entertained themselves like this.”
Admission is $20 per child age 2 and up, with no time limit and sibling discounts available. Children under 2 pay a lower rate. A 10-visit play pass costs
Pinn cleans and disinfects every toy and play area each evening with a hospital-grade disinfectant. She also uses a “yuck bucket” system to set aside toys that have gone into a child’s mouth for separate cleaning. “We’ve had a lot of parents say it’s so clean, and I’m like, that’s the best compliment you could give,” she said.
The facility has joined the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and is building community partnerships. Local vendors sell handmade goods on-site, preschool field trips have visited, two local authors have a reading planned for after Easter, a photographer will offer spring portraits during regular play sessions, and a family paintand-snack evening is scheduled.
Pinn also is developing a “community days” model in which local businesses sponsor free admission in exchange for on-site visibility. “If a big business says, will you put our sign up in your room for the day and have pamphlets out — then these kids in the community can come play for free,” she said.
For Pinn, the business is personal. Her son has special needs, and she said she designed the space from the start for inclusive play.
“We just wanted an inclusive area for all,” she said. “I think we are building this area up for all children. All families are welcome, and it’s turning out exactly how my brain envisioned it.”
Magic Meadows is located at 1023 Route 146 in Clifton Park, N.Y., next to Ravenswood Restaurant.
Magic Meadows in Clifton Park features a miniature town, fenced toddler area and open play spaces designed to support imaginative, interactive and inclusive play for young children and families.
Courtesy Magic Meadows
Patients Undergoing Oral Health Procedures Benefit From Use Of Advanced Technologies
BY ROD BACON
The technologies used by dental professionals have steadily improved over the years, offering a less stressful experience for patients while helping dentists and hygienists provide the best care possible.
One technology that has only recently been widely accepted in the dental field is artificial intelligence, or AI. While AI was first described in 1950, several limitations in early models prevented widespread acceptance and application to medicine. In the early 2000s, many of these limitations were overcome by the advent of deep learning. Today, artificial intelligence is used in dentistry primarily for radiographic analysis, orthodontic treatment planning, clinical documentation and practice management. Programs such as Pearl, Overjet and VidealHealth are becoming increasingly popular in the diagnosis and treatment of oral health issues.
In 2024, Gregory P. Dodd, DDS, FAGD, owner of Family Dentistry based in Saratoga Springs, attended the annual Yankee Dental Conference in Boston. When he returned, he integrated Pearl Dental AI into his practice, where dentists in all nine of his locations use the technology.
In addition to offices on Church Street and Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs, the practice offers a range of services in Clifton Park, Queensbury, South Glens Falls, Lake George, Greenwich, East Greenbush, and Gloversville.
“The program helps to read radiographs,” said Alex Ruckert, DDS, one of 15 dentists in the practice. “Instead of looking at a blackand-white image there are digital sensors that can be pulled up on a computer and then they can change colors so patients can see the parts of a tooth and understand the issue and how to correct it. It makes diagnosis much easier and communication with patients more focused.”
“A qualified dentist does not need artificial intelligence to identify obvious decay, bone loss, or other dental conditions,” added Dr. Dodd. “What AI does exceptionally well is present that information in a visual format that is easier for patients to understand. It transforms what can often feel like a complex grayscale image into a more intuitive educational tool. The result is that patients become more engaged in the discussion of their oral health.”
Pearl Dental AI and similar programs can be pricey, with monthly costs for a singlelocation practice running between $299 and $500 and a setup fee as high as $1,500. Group practices and dental service organizations can usually secure custom, tiered pricing that reduces the per-site cost as volume increases.
“From a purely financial standpoint the additional discussion (involved with AI programs) may actually lengthen appointments and reduce efficiency. However, our goal is not simply to maximize production. Our goal is to provide the highest quality patient experience possible. If a technology helps patients better understand their health, improves communication, and increases confidence in the recommendations being made then it has achieved its purpose,” said Dr. Dodd.
Dr. Gregory P. Dodd, owner of Family Dentistry, uses advanced technology in patient care.
Other important tools are Galilean and Keplerian dental loupes. The former, which provide 2.5x to 3.5x magnification, are typically used for general dentistry, dental hygiene and diagnostic exams. The latter, with 6x, 8x or even 10x magnification, give dentists clear views for operations such as root canals, microsurgery and implantology.
“These help us see the details of the procedure we’re doing, ensuring that we’ve thoroughly cleaned out a cavity before filling it, for example,” said Dr. Ruckert. “The higher magnification is especially important in dental surgery.”
The practice uses iTero digital intraoral scanners, an advanced imaging system that captures high-definition scans of teeth and gums, eliminating the need for putty impressions.
“It takes thousands of pictures every minute so we can digitally stitch our indirect restorations back together and send that to the lab to have the restoration fabricated,” said Dr. Ruckert. “It allows you to show the patient what their tooth looks like before and after any restorative procedure.”
Other advanced technologies used by the practice include soft tissue diode lasers and piezoelectric polishing in the hygiene departments, as well as 3D printing capabilities that allow them to fabricate appliances such as retainers, night guards, surgical implant guides and cosmetic diagnostic guides in-house. They also have adopted cone beam computed tomography, or CBCT, which provides threedimensional visualization of teeth, bone, airways, sinuses, nerves and surrounding anatomical structures.
Regarding the cost of cutting-edge technologies, Dr. Dodd said, “The same principle (as that of AI) applies to many of the technologies we have adopted throughout our practice. The return on investment is often measured in improved patient comfort, better diagnostics, increased precision, and enhanced treatment outcomes rather than direct revenue generation.”
Saratoga Hospital Earns Newsweek Spot Among America’s Best Maternity Hospitals
Saratoga Hospital has been recognized as one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals for 2026 by Newsweek and Statista. The designation highlights maternity care across the United States.
The annual ranking recognizes 460 hospitals nationwide. Selection is based on an evaluation of hospital quality metrics, patient experience data, and recommendations from healthcare professionals with expertise in maternity care, including neonatal and perinatal physicians, nurses and midwives.
“As access to maternity care becomes more limited across the country, it is more important than ever to ensure that families have dependable, compassionate care close to home,” said Jill VanKuren, President of Saratoga Hospital. “Being recognized as one of the best maternity hospitals in the nation reflects our team’s unwavering commitment to our patients and our community. We are incredibly
proud of the compassionate, expert care our staff provide every day.”
The hospital said its maternity program offers a personalized, supportive experience focused on safety and innovation.
Saratoga Hospital is the only acute care facility in Saratoga County and has maintained Magnet designation for nursing excellence since 2004. More than 450 physicians and other medical professionals provide care at more than 20 locations. Saratoga Hospital is a member of the Albany Med Health System, which also includes Albany Medical Center, Albany Medical College, Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital, and the Visiting Nurses. The health system has 1,520 beds, more than 900 physicians and 125 outpatient locations serving the region’s three million people. Provided by Saratoga Hospital; edited for style and length.
Saratoga Hospital maternity staff members gather inside the facility, which was named one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals
Family Dentistry
Wellness Center Gives UA Local 7 New Edge In Recruiting Skilled Workers
BY PAUL POST
When a key player is sidelined by injury, the whole team suffers.
Just ask the Yankees, who have been without superstars Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Max Fried for extended periods this year.
The same holds true in business, which explains why United Associated Local 7 recently opened a new Health and Wellness Center for its 1,400 active and retired members and their families.
“If we can get everybody in the habit of getting a yearly physical we can catch stuff early and at the end of the day, save money,” said Ed Nadeau, union president and business manager.
For example, prediabetes might be stopped from becoming full-blown diabetes, or someone at risk of a heart attack or stroke could turn things around with a healthier diet and exercise.
A survey of 180 union apprentices found that very few had a primary care doctor.
“That kind of lit the fi re, that we need to have our own place,” Nadeau said. “It’s tough to get a primary care doctor in today’s world. They tell you quite often that they aren’t tak-
ing new patients.”
The union had $16 million in insurance claims last year alone.
“We have members who think the emergency room is our primary care doctor,” Nadeau said. “We’re paying way more in pricing because they’re going to the emergency room for non-emergency room visits. If we can get those people to go the Health Center, we should be able to save a few hundred thousand dollars right there.”
UA 7 represents skilled plumbers, steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler fitters. It has jurisdiction over work sites, training and apprenticeship programs in 10 counties: Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie and parts of Hamilton and Saratoga counties.
Nadeau wants to build a coalition of other Capital Region trades unions, such as electricians, bricklayers and sheet metal workers, and open more medical centers modeled after UA Local 7’s.
It began welcoming patients in February and is located at Capital Region Health Park, 6 Wellness Way in Latham.
The center is staffed by a nurse practitio-
Continued On Page 7
The Owner Of 2 Check Electric Has Carved Out A Unique Career Path For Herself
BY ROD BACON
Sarah Heddell has an adventurous soul.
Sixteen years ago, she embarked on a career path that was unusual at the time for a woman: She decided to become an electrician.
The owner of Glens Falls-based 2 Check Electric, Heddell started her entrepreneurial journey shortly after graduating in 2009 from Walt Whitman High School in Huntington Station on Long Island.
She attended SUNY Albany for one semester, majoring in political science, before deciding that sitting in a classroom wasn’t for her.
“I like to be busy, I like to be outside,” she said. “I’d always been handy growing up, helping my stepfather build decks and things. I also worked on a horse farm during high school.”
She said the trades didn’t “come into her reality” until after she dropped out of college. She knew a Teamster who drove for United Parcel Service, and he recommended she look into a career in the trades. She considered both plumbing and electrical work, deciding on the latter because she didn’t want to deal with sewage.
“But the joke’s on me,” she said. “Since starting my career I’ve worked in multiple wastewater treatment facilities as an electrician.”
In 2010, she joined Local Union 236 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and embarked on a five-year apprenticeship that included 900 hours of classroom work and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training.
After graduating, she worked for many years as a foreman for Brownell Electric Corp. of Fort Edward and did shorter stints with Martin Electric in Rensselaer, Schenectady Hardware & Electric, and T&J Electrical Associates in Clifton Park.
With this experience under her belt, wanderlust got the best of her and she “took her skills on the road.” She traveled and worked in Montana, Washington state, Utah, Appalachia, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, the Columbia River Gorge, Indiana and Illinois.
It was during this adventure that the name of her business was born.
“As a Union Journeyman Wireman I can take my union ticket all over the country to work in places that have an abundance of work and a lack of workers,” she said. “When a JW works outside of their local, they are dispatched to jobs off “book 2.” Local guys work off “book 1.” The union hall referral system uses these designations to maintain integrity during the hiring process. When a book 2 worker reaches the end of a job they are presented with 2 checks, because trade work is paid for the week prior, making the current week your second check. To me, that second check was the beginning of the next chapter. So when I was starting my business it was a new chapter, the next thing.”
Heddell is a staunch believer in work-life balance, and living in the Adirondacks offers her multiple opportunities to achieve that. She is an enthusiastic rock climber, ice climber and backpacker. She has completed the NorthvillePlacid Trail end to end. Her rock climbing activities center around Lake George, and she has climbed Buck Mountain, Sleeping Beauty Mountain and the Ark Wall of Shelving Rock. She has also done the Beer Walls and Deadwater near Keene. That area offers excellent ice climbing opportunities as well.
“That region has the largest concentration of the tallest ice climbs with a less than five minute approach in the Northeast,” she said.
On Page 10
UA Local 7 President Ed Nadeau stands inside the union’s new Health and Wellness Center in Latham, where Marathon Health provides no-cost primary care for members, retirees and their families.
Sarah Heddell, owner of Glens Falls-based 2 Check Electric, works at an electrical panel as she builds her one-woman business and plans for sustainable growth through a future apprentice hire.
Construction Workforce Coalition Expands Effort To Inspire Future Trades Workers
BY SUSAN ELISE CAMPBELL
Every building, road and bridge relies on workers with skills that artificial intelligence will not replace. As communities grow, they need more workers on job sites and behind the scenes.
High demand and relative job security make the construction trades attractive. But the workforce shortage has grown so severe it has been described as a national crisis.
In Saratoga County, a nonprofit serving the Northeast has spent the past eight years building awareness between young people and potential construction careers.
“At Saratoga Builders Association board meetings, builders would talk about how we could build more if we could hire more,” said Doug Ford, then president of and now senior adviser to Curtis Lumber Co. “I said we need to do something or take this off the agenda. I was immediately assigned to head a task force.”
Ford said that “on day two” as task force leader he brought in Pam Stott, also an executive of Curtis Lumber, and co-founded the group that received nonprofit status three years ago as the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition.
Today, Stott is executive director of NCTWC and its only paid staff member. Ford is president of the five-person board. The organization has 110 dues-paying members, primarily builders, suppliers and vendors, plus attorneys and insurers. It also has nonpaying relationships with 65 school systems and growing.
“Other industries go into schools and talk about job opportunities, so why not construction,” said Ford. “We were late to the table, but we’re showing kids first-hand the diverse jobs available.”
“We knew when we started we had to inter-
actively engage young people in the classroom and put that seed of interest in their minds,” said Stott.
NCTWC’s hands-on programs serve students from second grade through college. Programs have been so well received that the board aims to franchise its structure and curriculum, Stott said.
“Starting a franchise business is a long process, it’s costly, and this is territory we have never explored before,” said Stott. “But we are working with legal people and an educational company to actually package how we approach schools and engage the students.”
During one-hour school periods, second through fifth graders build a toolbox and sixth through eighth graders build a dodecahedron.
NCTWC also organizes Meet the Builder presentations at middle schools and high schools, local construction site tours, career exploration visits to member businesses, and a girls summer camp.
From the beginning, NCTWC has worked to overturn misconceptions about and biases against construction trades, the co-founders said.
A construction career does not have to mean field work, and many jobs are not as physical or risky as many believe, the experts said. Careers include designers, estimators, purchasers, logistics professionals and other behind-the-scenes roles.
School counselors play a key role in bringing tradespeople into schools, although they know little about construction and tend to steer students toward college, Stott said. But the coalition has made inroads.
“Parents have a similar misconception that children cannot have a lucrative or satisfying career without a college degree, whereas college can be a path to a construction career,” she said.
“We are not anti-college. We’re pro-learning and want kids to stay in school,” said Ford.
Ford got a call two years ago from someone whose son had dropped out of university in the first semester. The young man was at the top of his class at Saratoga, an athlete and an Eagle Scout, and had entered college only to please his parents. He was not going back.
“He wanted to work with his hands,” said Ford. “I set him up for two days with a remodeler, two days with a new home builder, two days with a commercial builder, and two days with the carpenters union.”
Ford told the young man that if he followed through, he would learn whether construction was what he really wanted to do.
“He joined a commercial construction company and became one of our younger members talking in front of classrooms until he moved away,” said Ford. “He told students he could drive around and say, I helped build that, and that motivated him.”
NCTWC arranges job shadowing and internships to help match anyone interested in learning about or transitioning to construction careers, said board member Matt Whitbeck, owner of Whitbeck Construction LLC.
“We connect them with the member who would be the best fit for this student given the project, location, and time frame,” he said.
Whitbeck, the face of NCTWC at schools, is an
experienced instructor. For the past 12 years, he has traveled the world teaching building science, which studies how a building can affect the environment around it. His education philosophy is to “have fun and call out things people have forgotten,” he said.
“Students need passion and a belief they would gain satisfaction from a career in the trades,” he said. “It is humbling how they remind me why I got into construction in the first place.”
“As an employer, we don’t hire off a resumé,” said Whitbeck. “We are more interested in if they do puzzles, solve problems, or like math.”
All three board members said success is hard to quantify, although Whitbeck said “the students’ energies are a great metric.”
“They are dialed in, focused, and communicating verbally, which is so difficult for some kids today,” he said. “There is communal satisfaction seeing what they built together with their hands.”
Program and camp money comes from dues, small grants and fundraising events, such as last November’s mixer.
“Our biggest grant came from Representative Carrie Woerner,” Stott said. “She approached us three years ago and specifically asked us to engage girls in middle school.”
The Girls Construction Camp will be offered again this year in late July and early August.
Visit nctwc.org to donate or become a member.
UA Local 7
Continued From Page 6
ner and medical assistant, providing no-cost primary care. They are employed by Marathon Health, which operates 700 health centers across the U.S., with corporate offices in Indianapolis and Burlington, Vermont.
The 2,500-square-foot facility has four exam rooms and a blood-testing lab.
Nadeau said plans are in the works to have a full-time dentist as well.
The Health and Wellness Center is open to the union’s signatory contractors, too. “We’re encouraging them to use it,” Nadeau said. “Their office personnel from project managers to people doing payroll are just as important to the industry as we are. We’re trying to make everybody better.”
In addition to its health and cost-saving benefits, the medical center is expected to be a valuable tool for recruiting new union workers.
UA 7’s membership roll has increased about 33%, from 650 to 1,000 active workers, in the past 20 years. Nadeau said the union has been successful at recruiting young people with a variety of tactics.
“We’ve been to every high school career fair, we have a great relationship with all the BOCES programs in our jurisdiction and we partner with Hudson Valley Community College,” he said. “We also do radio ads for Yankee games (104.5-FM), television commercials and online.”
“We aren’t struggling to recruit young
people,” he said. “What we need is journeymen plumbers and pipefitters that have experience. We introduce ourselves whenever we see somebody working in the industry who’s not in Local 7.”
Young people starting out in the union’s five-year apprenticeship program earn $50,000 to $60,000 per year, in addition to $20,000 in benefits. After completing the program, they can expect to make more than $100,000 per year, Nadeau said.
“It’s a great industry, a great career,” he said. “I also think building trades are going to be one of the last trades that offers a pension plan. Health insurance and all our benefits are second to none.”
Work opportunities are almost endless as UA 7 is involved with major jobs throughout the Capital Region, such as the $1.7 billion Wadsworth Center and DOT Testing Lab at the State Office Building Campus in Albany; a $675 million NanoFab Reflection semiconductor research and development facility at the Albany NanoTech Complex; and Regeneron projects in Saratoga Springs, Rensselaer and the Port of Albany.
“We’ve got a lot of small projects now, too, that used to be non-union and are now union,” Nadeau said. “Local 7 has over 200 HVAC service techs doing mostly commercial service work. The opportunities are amazing here. There’s never been a better time to be in Local 7 than right now.”
Participants and volunteers gather outside a house during the Girls Construction Camp, one of the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition’s hands-on programs for local young students.
Courtesy NCTWC
HK Wealth Management Expands Client Base In Capital Region, Washington County
BY ROD BACON
Earlier this year, HK Wealth Management Group, headquartered in Clifton Park, expanded its reach with the acquisition of two area financial advisors.
Burnt Hills Financial and Wilbur Financial Group of Greenwich were brought into the HK family. The client base from both practices and some physical assets in Greenwich were purchased.
Burnt Hills Financial was founded in 2016 by Thomas Lansing Jr., while Wilbur Financial Group was established in 2005 by Larry J. Wilbur. According to Kevin M. Hedley, MS, CPA, PFS, HK’s founder and principal adviser, the acquisition of these firms is a good fit because they all use the same broker-dealer and money managers, so the transition has been seamless.
“This acquisition allows us to continue serving more individuals and families throughout the region while maintaining a local presence,” he said. “It also enables clients to benefit from the resources of our broker-dealer partners and leading asset management platforms such as AssetMark. As one of AssetMark’s higher-tier firms we are able to provide a broader ranger of planning and investment solutions than may have previously been available.”
According to Hedley, the acquisition added approximately $100 million in client assets and expanded the number of families the firm serves throughout the Capital Region and Washington County.
“This is a meaningful increase in assets under management and client relationships,” he said.
“More importantly, it allows us to leverage additional scale and resources while continuing to provide the personalized service our clients expect.”
While the Burnt Hills office has been closed, the Greenwich office will continue to serve clients. Former Burnt Hills clients can access full financial services at HK’s Clifton Park location.
“Because Wilbur Financial has been a staple in that community for many years we felt it is important to keep it open and staffed to make it as convenient as possible for our new and existing Washington County clients to see us,” said Hedley.
Jennifer Casey, the existing client service associate, will continue serving clients at that office.
Hedley emphasized that all of the firm’s financial planning and wealth management services are available at both locations.
“We assist clients in all facets of their financial life, from preparing for retirement during their working years to managing their finances once retired. We work with multi-generation families, small business retirement plans, and also offer various insurance solutions. A major focus of our firm is managing money for our clients,” he said.
This is the first acquisition for the firm, but Hedley said they would definitely do it again if
Saratoga Private Wealth Focuses On Communication, Planning And Growth
BY STAFF WRITER
When Harrison Xu and Joseph Vidarte launched Saratoga Private Wealth in Saratoga Springs in November 2025, their goal was not simply to establish another wealth management fi rm.
Instead, they set out to build a business centered on greater client engagement, active communication and a more coordinated approach to fi nancial planning.
Based at 229 Washington St., Saratoga Private Wealth provides investment management, retirement planning and wealth preservation services for individuals and families. Xu is president of the fi rm, while Vidarte is vice president and partner.
Their launch reflects a broader movement within the fi nancial advisory industry. Over the past decade, many experienced advisers have chosen to establish independent fi rms, citing greater flexibility in client service, technology selection and long-term planning strategies. At the same time, clients increasingly seek more personal guidance and ongoing communication rather than periodic portfolio reviews.
“We’re modernizing wealth management,”
ning considerations. The updates are designed to help clients better understand events that may affect their fi nancial goals and encourage ongoing dialogue.
“The one common word I keep hearing is ‘engaged,’” Xu said. “Clients feel more informed and more connected because we’re communicating with them regularly.”
Technology is another important component of the fi rm’s business model. The fi rm uses planning and reporting platforms that allow clients to view investment accounts and other fi nancial information in a single location. According to Xu, those tools help both advisers and clients maintain a more complete picture of a family’s fi nancial situation and identify opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked.
The fi rm’s emphasis on service goes beyond technology.
Earlier this year, Saratoga Private Wealth added Rachel Arata as director of client relations and wealth adviser. Arata brings more than a decade of experience in fi nancial services and plays a central role in client communication, operational coordination and planning support.
The fi rm’s approach illustrates that evolution, as independent advisory fi rms place greater emphasis on communication, technology and comprehensive planning rather than
Xu said the fi rm’s structure is intentionally team-oriented, with advisers and support staff sharing responsibility for client relationships rather than operating independently.
“We’re not working in silos,” Xu said. “Every client relationship is supported by the team.”
Xu said clients today want more than periodic meetings and performance reports. They want guidance that connects investments, taxes, retirement planning and estate consid-
“Our clients want more than transactions,” he said. “They want a relationship and a plan that brings investments, taxes and estate
That approach allows the fi rm to maintain regular contact with clients and actively address planning issues, whether related to investment accounts, cash management, beneficiary designations or other fi nancial matters.
One way Saratoga Private Wealth seeks to accomplish that is through regular communication and client education. Xu writes a weekly market commentary that discusses economic developments, market conditions and plan-
Arata’s role includes helping monitor client activity, coordinating communications and identifying planning opportunities that can be addressed before they become problems. Xu said the goal is to create a more proactive experience for clients rather than waiting for annual review meetings.
From left, seated, Joel Bennett and Kevin Hedley join standing team members Shelly DeCicco and Jennifer Casey as HK Wealth Management Group expands in the Capital Region and Washington County. Courtesy HK Wealth Management
Harrison Xu and Joseph Vidarte, founders of Saratoga Private Wealth, lead the Saratoga Springs firm with a focus on active communication, coordinated planning and long-term client relationships.
Courtesy Saratoga Private Wealth
BY STEPHEN KYNE, CFP®- STERLING MANOR FINANCIAL, LLC
A structural shift has been emerging for investors who rely on low-cost index funds within their personal and retirement accounts for an easy source of diversification. Over the past several years, driven by market interest and expectations surrounding artificial intelligence, several technology companies have drawn outsized investment. As a direct result, these companies have claimed a much larger share of indices than many investors may realize, thereby potentially reducing the true diversification historically provided by these funds.
With prominent private firms like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic preparing for potential public market debuts, a massive wave of equity could soon enter public markets. While highly anticipated, these mega-cap listings introduce specific risks for everyday passive investors, potentially altering the risk profile of traditionally diverse index funds.
Historically, companies tended to go public early in their growth cycles. When Amazon launched its IPO in 1997, it was valued at a modest $438 million. Public index investors who held the stock captured its long-term upward trajectory. Today, the environment has shifted. Venture capital and private markets now frequently sustain companies until they reach massive valuations. SpaceX is reportedly aiming for a valuation near $2 trillion, while OpenAI and Anthropic are discussed at levels approaching or exceeding $1 trillion.
Consequently, a significant portion of the exponential, early-stage growth may already be realized by private institutional backers before a public listing occurs. When these companies enter an index, passive investors are not necessarily getting in on the ground floor; instead, they may be purchasing shares at peak private valuations, potentially reducing the historical margin for error.
Traditional index investing assumes that the largest companies in a benchmark are mature, cash-generating enterprises. Frontier artificial intelligence and aerospace infrastructure, however, require unprecedented capital expenditure. Developing and running advanced models demands substantial computing power, specialized semiconductors, and extensive data center infrastructure. OpenAI’s internal projections, for instance, point to billions in ongoing operational and inference costs. Similarly, SpaceX’s capital requirements remain steep as it expands its Starlink network and integrates advanced AI infrastructure.
Because cap-weighted index funds must replicate the market, they generally do not evaluate whether a stock’s current cash burn justifies its price; if a company is large enough, the fund is structurally mandated to purchase it. This means passive capital could be automatically directed into capital-intensive business models before they establish consistent, long-term profitability.
As it is, major market indices are already notably concentrated in a handful of technology giants. The “Mag-7” companies have recently comprised approximately 50% of the NASDAQ and 35% of the S&P 500. The addition of multi-trillion-dollar firms like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic could push this concentration to new extremes.
Stephen Kyne, CFP, partner at Sterling Manor Financial LLC in
When a benchmark becomes heavily weighted toward a single narrative, true diversification can be diminished. If the commercial monetization of AI faces unexpected bottlenecks or slower-thananticipated enterprise adoption, the mathematical weight of these few companies could disproportionately impact the value of the entire index.
Index funds operate on strict operational rules rather than active management discretion. Historically, index providers maintained seasoning periods, often requiring sustained profitability before a company could join a major benchmark like the S&P 500. To accommodate massive market demand, some index providers are exploring or utilizing “fast-track” inclusion mechanisms, allowing ultra-large-cap companies to enter an index shortly after their debut. For example, SpaceX may enter the NASDAQ after as few as 15 trading days, potentially before ever reporting quarterly earnings as a public company.
When a mega-cap stock is quickly added to an index, passive managers are required to purchase billions of dollars of the asset to prevent tracking errors, regardless of market volatility. To fund these sudden, massive acquisitions, index funds typically must sell off proportional shares of other stable, cash-flowing components within the index. This mechanic can lead to an artificial inflation of speculative assets at the expense of more traditional equities.
The potential public listings of major AI and technology pioneers represent a significant milestone for capital markets. For passive investors, however, it serves as a reminder that index funds are dynamic, shifting structures. As massive, capital-intensive firms enter core benchmarks, passive portfolios may inherently adopt a more speculative, concentrated exposure. It’s important that you work closely with your Certified Financial Planner® professional to better understand how your investment strategy may be affected.
Stephen Kyne, CFP® is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial, LLC in Saratoga Springs. Sterling Manor Financial, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. This article contains forwardlooking statements and opinions based on information available at the time of writing, and is subject to change.
Ballston Spa Business Group Launches 2026 Farmers Market Season In Wiswall Park
The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association has announced the return of the Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market for its 2026 season. The market will run Saturdays from June 13 through Oct. 3 in Wiswall Park, at the corner of Front Street and Low Street in the Village of Ballston Spa.
Market hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Since 2003, the Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market has connected local producers directly with consumers while supporting small farms, artisans and makers throughout the region.
This year’s market will feature locally grown produce, farm-fresh products, artisan breads, baked goods, honey, flowers, handcrafted jewelry, maple syrup, prepared food and more. The 2026 season
will include returning vendors and new vendors.
Visitors can also enjoy live music throughout the season. The market will host the second annual Ballston Spa Peach Festival on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, and the second annual Ballston Spa Autumn Festival on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Both festivals will take place during regular market hours in Wiswall Park.
Admission to the Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market is free and open to the public. For weekly updates on vendors, live music and special events, visit www.ballston.org or follow the Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market on social media.
Provided by Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association; edited for style and length.
Visitors gather at the Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market in Wiswall Park, where the 2026 season will bring local producers, artisans, live music and festivals to the village from June through October.
Saratoga Springs.
Whalen's
Continued From Page 3
some staff and some equipment and refrigeration to handle the bigger production requirements.”
“There is a lot of work at our end to give them the shelf life that’s necessary and to arrange tastings and marketing to introduce product to their shoppers,” said Bibens.
Bibens said he favors Whalen’s horseradish pickles and puts sauces on “just about everything” he cooks.
“Especially now that it’s grilling season, I like the prepared sauces on meat and hamburgers,” he said. “They are good on corn on the cob and veggies, and we fi nd ways to add a little extra zing and excitement into a meal.”
The company Frank Whalen founded in Ballston Spa in 1925 started by delivering horseradish sauce to customers by horsedrawn wagon and depositing the jars in an
2 Check Electric
Continued From Page 6
Rock and ice climbing are partner sports because climbers need someone to belay them.
“I have a really lovely community of strong, supportive friends who also climb,” said Heddell. “The climbing community in the Adirondacks is small, very tight-knit, and welcoming to newcomers.”
She said it is easy to allow a business to become all-consuming and feels that isn’t good for one’s mental health and life satisfaction. To avoid that, she makes it a priority to schedule a yoga class or rock climbing session, and she gives herself at least one day a week when she isn’t doing any work at all.
Currently, 2 Check Electric is a one-woman operation, but Heddell said she is getting to the point where she needs to hire an apprentice. The person she is considering will come from her climbing community.
Heddell is not completely alone on the job.
insulated container. Today, there is a growing variety of Whalen’s brand products, and with online shopping, the market can be as vast as a company desires.
“Horseradish is not as ubiquitous as other condiments despite some awesome health benefits,” he said. Claims are that it is good for the cardiovascular system, it’s antibacterial and fights parasites, among other benefits.
“It’s really a superfood,” Bibens said. “I haven’t been sick in 19 years.”
The Bibenses feel it is “extremely important” to keep local legacy businesses like Whalen’s alive and active in the community.
“People love local when it comes to food,” he said. “Small business are critical for giving people opportunities to work, to grow, and there is a certain amount of civic pride in having an establishment in your backyard.”
Visit whalenshorseradish.com for more information, to purchase products and to inquire about private-label and wholesale opportunities.
She has an 11-year-old “shelter mutt” named Blitz that she adopted 10 years ago. She takes him with her to work when appropriate.
While Heddell’s jobs are planned in advance, she does respond to emergencies when the need arises. One such incident occurred when a fire broke out on an overhead electrical line at a Bolton Landing camp. She was there for several hours in the evening, patching in a repair to restore power to the building.
Heddell is not resting on her laurels. She said she wants to “grow sustainably” and become a signatory contractor from the local union hall, which will allow her to source her labor from that union.
“This will allow me to provide good jobs for my local union brothers and sisters,” she said.
2 Check Electric offers a full range of services, including new home builds, service and panel upgrades, residential and commercial service and troubleshooting, and additions and renovations.
The company is located at 71 Lawrence St., Suite 218, in Glens Falls. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Parillo's Sausage
Continued From Page 1
“Our business picked up exponentially in May so I will probably be bringing in some part-time employees over the summer,” she said.
A priority for Rahman is to expand the company’s market beyond the 40-mile delivery radius it has offered for years. The company currently has 60 customers, including nine Hannaford supermarkets, Country Corner, Pope’s Pizza, Scottie’s Restaurant, Pizza Time, Hattie’s Restaurants and numerous diners in Warren County.
She has purchased a refrigerated van that will allow deliveries within a 100-mile radius. Two part-time drivers make runs twice a week.
While contracts are not yet signed, she is working with two large concessionaires who will sell Parillo’s products in their booths. A considerable amount would be required from June through September.
The next phase for Rahman is to market Parillo’s products nationwide and into Canada. Should this occur, she would probably contract with a distributor such as US Foods, Sysco or Driscoll Foods.
On May 22, Parillo’s Sausage celebrated 75 years of providing high-quality products
Saratoga Private Wealth
Continued From Page 8
Vidarte contributes experience in retirement planning, portfolio construction and wealth transition strategies. His work includes assisting business owners, professionals and families with long-term planning decisions.
Together, the partners believe the fi nancial advisory profession is moving toward a more integrated model in which investment management, tax planning and estate considerations are more closely connected.
“The future of this business is integration,”
sourced from recipes passed down through several generations. The milestone was marked with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
The event was attended by more than 50 people, including chamber President Todd Shimkus, Saratoga Economic Development Corp. President and CEO Greg Connors, and Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford.
“The community support is what keeps me going,” said Rahman. “By ‘community’ of course I mean the customers, but more than that are leaders like Greg, Mayor Safford, and people in city government. Both the mayor and Matthew Stawarz, the assistant city clerk, called me personally and provided assistance when I needed it.
Parillo’s Sausage offers shippable seasoning packs, as well as link and bulk products for pickup.
The company is located at 90 Washington St. in Saratoga Springs. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its Pop-Up Grill, serving Sausage Sammies and Grillers, is open Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the summer.
For more information, go to parillosausage. com.
Xu said. “Investment, tax and estate planning should work together.”
As Saratoga Private Wealth approaches its fi rst full year in business, the fi rm’s leadership remains focused on building long-term relationships and providing a client experience centered on communication, planning and personalized service.
For Xu and Vidarte, success will ultimately be measured not only by growth, but by whether clients feel informed, engaged and confident in the fi nancial decisions they make.
Reporting includes information from Saratoga Private Wealth, Joseph Vidarte and an interview with Harrison Xu.
Belmont
Continued From Page 1
Sunday, July 26, before a five-day racing week resumes Wednesday, July 29.
The summer meet will conclude with a sixday week from Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7.
Next year, Belmont Park will once again host the Belmont Stakes and July 4th Racing festivals, while Saratoga Race Course reverts to its traditional 40-day summer meet.
“Our hotels, bars, restaurants, and shops are all asking what are we doing to replace those visits and that business in 2027,” Shim-
kus said. “Th is really was a once or three-time in a lifetime chance to showcase our small city to the world, and I think from the kick-off Belmont on Broadway concert to the Racing Festival itself we outperformed expectations. We demonstrated that we are a fully functional, fun and safe major events destination.”
“The publicity generated shined a great spotlight on Saratoga and all of our amenities and attractions,” he said. “The media coverage was phenomenal and the stories Fox Sports shared were 110 percent positive, helping to capture some of the best stories about this city you will ever see. I really believe we will see a positive impact particularly in visits for years to come, and once people visit here you have a chance to get them to invest here, too.”
Available Commercial & Residential Properties
