LOCAL • INDEPENDENT • FREE Volume 11 • Issue 17 • April 29 – May 5, 2016
saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com • (518) 581-2480
Vagrancy: Dealing With Reality by Rebecca Davis Saratoga TODAY SARATOGA SPRINGS — Recently, there has been a lot of attention given to vagrancy in Saratoga. Community members are voicing their concerns and fears about the issue, ranging from demonizing to dismissive. Determined to stay solutions-oriented, organizations such as Shelters of Saratoga are stepping in to set the record straight. “They look different than you and me. You walk down the street by a sex offender,
and he looks the same as all of us. But you walk by a homeless person and you know right away they’re homeless. There is a hesitation and fear there already,” said Michael Finocchi, Executive Director at Shelters of Saratoga (SOS). That fear also stems from actions of vagrants, rather than the homeless. According to Lynn Bradley, SOS’s Board President, and Finocchi, vagrants are different than the homeless in that they go from place to place to make money and are not interested in bettering their situation. Vagrants
Smart Girls Take on the World
also can be intrusive and confrontational. Some vagrants even have homes and cars. It can be difficult to understand why vagrants live as they do. But it often comes from a much deeper issue. “Vagrants are often individuals that are severely chemically addicted or mentally ill,” said Finocchi. However, community members can directly and crucially help the vagrancy situation by refusing to give money to anyone on the street. “I’ve always preached not to give them money,” said Finocchi.
“That money is not going to anything good; it’s going to whatever their vice is. You’re better off giving them a sandwich or coffee. There are certain ways to give back that aren’t detrimental to someone’s health or wellbeing.” Vagrants will often tell people they’re homeless to get money, making it hard to differentiate between the two. So, instead of giving money to people on the streets, SOS urges to give to programs instead, such as SOS, Franklin Community Center See Vagrancy pg. 10
Field Hockey Diplomacy Three SSHS Students Make it Happen in Uganda
Less Pink
Moore Parking See pg. 35
Springettes Spring Into State Championship See pg. 14
Inside TODAY Blotter 5 Obituaries 6 Business 14-15 Education 22-23 Pulse 27-29 Sports 35-40
Weekend Forecast FRIDAY
64|36 SATURDAY Ballston Spa’s Odyssey of the Mind team (left to right): Danielle Thorne (coach), Kelsey Alois, Abby Burke, Sarah Panariello, Taylor Mclain, Sarah Helly, Alaina Burke, and Patty McLain (coach). Photo provided.
See Smart pg. 22
67|42 SUNDAY See Diplomacy pg. 12
54|41