Jake Van Ness

2440 Articles

‘190 Grille’ To Become New Eatery And Lounge

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By Jennifer Farnsworth

The former 190 Grille and Cinema in downtown Glens Falls will soon be home to a new restaurant

Craig Merrell, owner owner of the Downtown City Tavern, plans to open the Downtown Social Eatery and Lounge at that location. He said it will offer house-roasted coffee, baked goods, deli sandwiches, a carving station, wine bar and more, including table service for people looking for a traditional dining experience. The 7,500-square-foot space will bring a unique experience to the downtown area, according to George Normandin of Normandin Marketing, who is handling publicity for Merrell.

190 Grille and Cinema, located at 190 Glen St.,  closed in early December, after two and a half years in operation. Merrell signed a lease for the property shortly afterward, according to Normandin.

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Trampoline Design Wins Numerous Awards At American Advertising Regional Event

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Trampoline Design in Glens Falls won a gold award for an advertising campaign for Hunter Mountain focused on the New York City metro campaign, of which this sign is a part.
Courtesy Trampoline Design

Glens Falls-based Design and communications agency Trampoline Design won a judge’s citation, a gold award, five silver awards and the Betsy Best in Show award at the 2018 American Advertising Awards-Capital Region event, held March 3 at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady.

Trampoline is a state-registered woman-owned agency established in 2003. The studio specializes in destination marketing, higher education, municipal and lifestyle brands, and has a full-time staff of 17.

“We have participated in this event almost every year since we started Trampoline. It’s an opportunity for our creative team to be recognized by their peers as well as a way to demonstrate to our clients that we love the work. I’d also say that it’s a great way to stay hungry and on the quest for the strongest and most effective design and messaging, for our clients and for ourselves,” Amanda Magee, partner, Trampoline Design.

The judge’s citation was given for Trampoline’s design and custom illustration for the Wildcat Mountain Resort 60th anniversary poster. This project was completed as part of Trampoline’s relationship as Peak Resort’s Agency of Record.

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Stewart’s Shops, Dake Family Gives $500K To Pediatric Emergency Dept. At Albany Med

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Stewart’s Shops and the Dake family have donated $500,000 to Albany Medical Center’s new pediatric emergency department, recently named the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center.

The Saratoga-based company and family were early supporters of Albany Med’s latest project, helping it reach the $14.5 million mark toward the fundraising goal of $20 million, Albany Med officials said. The total cost of the project is $50 million.

When it opens in the summer, it will be the only pediatric emergency department in northeastern New York and western New England, according to the hospital.

“Stewart’s and the Dake family are committed to ensuring that all our shops’ communities are strong and healthy,” said Susan Law Dake, president of the Stewart’s Foundation. “We are happy to be part of Albany Med’s commitment to pediatric health.”

The Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center will be exclusively for children and teens through 18 years old, and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days week, year-round. The four-story, 70,000-square-foot facility, which will be located adjacent to the current Emergency Department, is designed specifically for the needs of children and their families, and offers access to the full range of pediatric specialists. It will be staffed by physicians, nurses and mid-level providers specially trained in pediatric emergency medicine.

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Business Report: The Year In Finances

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John Conroe, vice president, financial planner, investment officer with Adirondack Trust Co. Courtesy Adirondack Trust Co.

By John Conroe

Do you wait for May to take down your holiday decorations? Coast up to the gas pumps with your tank on empty? Put off grocery shopping until the only food in the fridge is leftover meatloaf? Then chances are you’re a procrastinator.

When it comes to managing your finances, procrastination can put you at risk financially and keep you from reaching your goals. If your financial checklist seems overwhelming, remember that you don’t have to do everything at once. Performing tasks throughout the year can make managing your finances easier.

The Winter Months.

Reviewing and updating your spending plan in January can get the year off to a good start. Track last year’s income and expenses and adjust your plan accordingly. Determining your net worth—your assets minus your liabilities—at the same time each year provides a snapshot of your finances.

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Despite Stock Market Fluctuation, Assets Can Be Managed; Economy Is Holding Steady

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Bob Schermerhorn of Saratoga Financial Services in Saratoga Springs.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jill Nagy

“The fundamentals of the economy are still very good and very strong,” said Saratoga Springs financial advisor Stephen Kyne, a partner in Sterling Manor Financial in Saratoga Springs.

Recent “corrections” in the prices of stocks are not cause for worry, he said. However, “there are more moving parts” than there used to be and it is important to work closely with an advisor.

Bob Schermerhorn, of Saratoga Financial Services in Saratoga Springs, advised putting recent stock market declines into perspective. A 10 percent decline—such as the early February decline in the Standard & Poor 500 stock index—is actually quite normal, as 19 years of the last 38 have had a 10 percent correction. In fact, the average intra-year correction since 1980 is 13.7 percent.”

“It’s different for everybody depending on their circumstances,” he said.

Kyne noted, “It used to be a lot more simple.”

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Business Report: Protecting A Business Upon Divorce

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Tammy Arquette is a matrimonial attorney at the Arquette Law Firm PLLC in Clifton Park. ©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Tammy J. Arquette, Esq.

According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 40 to 50 percent of married couples in United States obtain a divorce. The divorce rate is even higher for subsequent marriages.

A divorce proceeding can have a significant impact on the financial and emotional well-being of the parties and their children, but if one or both of the parties are also a business owner, the business can be significantly impacted. The significant impact on the business can include financial disruption, discord amongst partners and employees, imposition of third party experts to review books and records and value the business, and the potential requirement for the sale of the business.

The Domestic Relations Law provides that assets that are acquired during the marriage, including businesses, be valued and equitably distributed. Further, marital asset may also include the appreciation in value of an otherwise separate business interest.

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Minority And Women Owned Business Enterprises Program Expanding In NYS

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Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced legislation to reauthorize and to expand the MWBE Program to more contracts entirely funded by the state.

The proposed legislative changes and expansion to include all state-funded contracts would leverage the largest pool of state funding in history to combat systemic discrimination and create new opportunities for MWBE participation at every level, according to Cuomo.

Since 2011, state-certified MWBEs have won more than $10.4 billion in state contracts and the state has certified more than 6,600 MWBEs and re-certified more than 4,700 MWBEs.

“In New York, we know that our economy is strongest when everyone is empowered to participate, which is why we continue to work to increase access and opportunities to success for minority and women owned businesses to strengthen and diversify our economy,” Cuomo said. “These actions will break down barriers to success and empower these business owners to help fuel our economy and move this great state forward.”

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Roberta Berkowitz Provides Forensic Supplies And Equipment To Customers Across The U.S.

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Roberta Berkowitz started Prendo Forensics LLC in Bolton Landing in 2010.
Courtesy Prendo Forensics

By Maureen Werther

Roberta Berkowitz started Prendo Forensics LLC in 2010 after a 25-year career in sales and management. Since that time, the company has received several Woman and Minority Owned Business Enterprise (WMBE) certifications on the state and national level, allowing her business to be eligible to bid on state and federal contracts.

Prendo Forensics LLC, in Bolton Landing, provides forensics and digital-related supplies and equipment to local, state and federal government agencies, as well as to colleges, universities, high schools and BOCES training programs. Berkowitz describes her company as a “sole source provider,” which means that clients can order a broad range of equipment and supplies from a variety of manufacturers through a single distributor.

She sells law enforcement supplies and forensic products for crime scene investigations and training.

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Deborah Roberts Puts Her Education To Work At Her Environmental Consulting Company

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Deborah Roberts formed the Roberts Environmental Consulting company in 1994. She can help guide developers through environmental issues and suggest ways to remediate problems.

By Jill Nagy

Wetlands scientist and ecologist Deborah Roberts is used to being called in at the beginning, the middle and the end of various projects.

Her company, Roberts Environmental Consulting in Queensbury, can warn a potential developer of environmental constraints on a planned project; can help guide a developer through environmental issues during the course of a project; and, if necessary, can suggest ways to remediate environmental blunders.

Roberts formed the company in 1994, after several years working for a large company in the Boston area. She moved back to the area where she grew up when her children were in grade school. She then set up shop on her own.

Today, with those children long since grown and gone, she still relishes the independence of her own company, the flexibility and the control she has over her projects.

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Area Chapter Of National Association Of Women In Construction Meets On March 27

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The Capital District Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), a nonprofit organization serving women in the construction and related industries, invites New York State Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) to showcase their businesses at the third annual NYS MWBE Showcase this month.

The event is set for 5-8 p.m.  Tuesday, March 27, at the Century House in Latham.

Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2014 mandate to increase statewide MWBE utilization goals to 30 percent for all state contracts, it is crucial for businesses that are at least 51 percent owned, operated and controlled by women or minorities to get certified and market themselves as certified businesses. 

The annual showcase will create an avenue for MWBEs to not only market themselves to representatives from state agencies, architects, subcontractors, owners, developers and engineers, but also give them a chance to network with other MWBEs in the state. 

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