Glens Falls Business Journal

Decorated Electric Boxes Become The Most Visible Aspect To City’s Arts Trail Thus Far

November 14, 2021

This is one of the seven electrical boxes along the Arts Trail in Glens Falls, commissioned by the Arts District of Glens Falls. Shelley Fairbanks designed the one pictured.
Courtesy Arts District of Glens Falls

The Arts District of Glens Falls has completed the most visible piece of its Arts Trail to date, with seven electrical boxes along the trail featuring painted murals by artists.

A call went out in September and the projects were completed in October. This piece of the Arts Trail is made possible by the Touba Family Foundation.

“This is only the beginning,” said spokesperson Chad Rabinovitz, former artistic director of Adirondack Theatre Festival and co-owner of The Candy Space in Lake George. “We have major plans for public art, from large-scale murals on buildings to statement sculptures. You won’t be able to come to Glens Falls without knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is a place that loves the arts.”

Artists chosen for the electrical box project were Hannah Williams, Shelley Fairbanks, Rodney Allen Bentley, Olga Aleksandrova, Kevin Clark, Stephanie Vaus and Leah Hofgesang.

Also in the works is a Rain Art public art project—quotes from literature, chosen by the Teen Center at Crandall Public Library, spray painted onto the sidewalk outside the library with clear paint so the quotes are only visible when it rains.

Other components of the project to establish an Arts District, seven years in the making, include banners demarking the border of the Arts District, a website at www.artsdistrictgf.com, both of which are already completed. Coming soon, people can expect to see sidewalk stamps around the border of the Arts District, and bike racks that will soon be installed at the 10 arts destinations representing 14 arts organizations within walking distance from one another.

Inclusive Effort Urged To Boost Broadband

November 14, 2021

EDC Warren County, recognizing the vital role broadband plays—not only in economic development but in critical aspects of everyday life such as education, health care, and connection—has brought together a community of carriers, elected officials, nonprofit groups and citizens to help improve access in the north country.

In the fall of 2020, EDC assisted private internet provider Slic Network Solutions to gain an easement on county-owned land to install a switch cabinet capable of servicing fiber expansion in multiple rural towns. This 200-mile fiber expansion project brought broadband to more than 1,700 unserved rural homes in the towns of Johnsburg, Warrensburg, Thurman, and Stony Creek, plus another 1,000 homes were given access to other internet providers.

This called for a large survey to learn what local households are experiencing and what areas of the county have the greatest need.

EDC Warren County commissioned and completed a comprehensive Broadband Assessment and Survey in the first quarter of 2021. The completed survey identified five unserved areas in Warren County. The project started conversations across county lines pointing out the need for more progress.

Continuing the effort, EDC Warren County has developed a multi-county, multi-provider collaboration called the North Country Broadband Alliance that works to pursue federal grant funding. The alliance consists of local leaders and government officials working together with six Adirondack counties and four private internet providers.

Center Gets Grant For Site Improvements

November 14, 2021

The Moreau Community Center has received a $50,000 grant to develop job training programs and make facility improvements through a philanthropic initiative launched earlier this year by Spectrum.

The Spectrum Community Assist program is a five-year, $30 million initiative that aims to revitalize local community centers and invest in job training programs in underserved rural and urban communities serviced by the utility company.

“Community centers like Moreau Community Center are hallmarks of our neighborhoods, where people go for support, shared experiences and develop new job skills or find new employment,” Rahman Khan, vice president of community impact for Charter Communications, parent company of Spectrum, said in a statement.

The company aims to provide support to 100 community centers in 41 states by the end of 2025.

Through a partnership with Rebuilding Together of Saratoga County, a nonprofit organization that provides free home repairs to those that can’t afford them, the interior of the Moreau Community Center will be revamped.

Work includes landscaping, painting, building shelves and desks and tackling other interior projects throughout the community center. In addition to the funds, Spectrum will provide the center with upgraded internet speeds of one gigabyte at no charge through the end of the program, according to a news release.

Additionally, the company will donate 25 laptops to support the community center’s training and technology programs.

Adirondack Regional Chamber Of Commerce Staff Wins Annual Henry Crandall Award

November 14, 2021

By Jill Nagy

Michael Bittel, president and CEO of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce said “this just blew me away” when his organization was named this year’s winner of the Henry Crandall Award.

The award was presented by the Crandall Public Library on Oct. 13.

“I am humbled that the entire team has been recognized,” he said.

The Crandall Award recognized the organization for its activities throughout the COVID pandemic, including providing accurate information in a timely manner and encouraging connections between businesses and government entities, including assistance in accessing government relief programs such as the Paycheck Protection Plan, the Small Business Administration, and recommendations from state and federal health agencies.

The breakfast meeting at the Queensbury Hotel, where the award was presented, is also a major fundraiser for the library, which hopes to raise more than $40,000 to help support its programs and services.

Bittel’s team—Tricia Rogers, Amanda Blanton, Carole Ann Conover, and Karen Mattison—has been working full-time throughout the pandemic, some of them in the Chamber’s offices and others from home. Bittel said it is the first time that the award has recognized an entire team rather than an individual.

Bittel thanked his team and the 21 members of the chamber’s board of directors, as well as its and its 23 “ambassadors,” volunteers who help get out the word about chamber events.

Two Groups Join Forces To Offer Computer Coding Training Programs To Unemployed

November 14, 2021

SUNY Adirondack and SaratogaCanCode have joined forces to offer free computer coding education and training programs to serve unemployed and underemployed New York residents.

Funded through a state Department of Labor grant, the partnership will enable coding instruction in two popular courses—Front End Web Development and Python for Data Analytic —to serve up to 45 people.

SUNY Adirondack’s Workforce Readiness Academies Program (WRAP) provides free training opportunities for residents of New York state. Included in the program are customized services based on participant need, such as career coaching, academic advising, job-search skills, and accessing resources such as emergency child care and technology support.

The 12-week computer coding programs are offered virtually through SaratogaCanCode, which is part of CanCode Communities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a trained software workforce throughout upstate New York and beyond.

“We’re seeing such success with the summer cohort of students who are about to finish their IT boot camp training,” said Caelynn Prylo, Assistant Dean for Continuing Education and Workforce Innovation at SUNY Adirondack. “This program is truly transformational for the participants. With the workforce changes we’ve seen over the past year, more people than ever can benefit from this high-impact training program, expanding their skills and securing employment in a high-demand field and strengthen our region’s pool of trained, talented tech professionals.”

“We are delighted to partner with SUNY Adirondack to deliver computer coding education and training that is truly changing lives,” said Annmarie Lanesey, founder and CEO of CanCode Communities. “This is a wonderful opportunity to provide motivated individuals with pathways to exciting careers in the tech industry, and to build our tech workforce to support the rapid expansion of the digital workplace.”

Adirondack Winery’s ‘Drink Pink’ Events Raises Nearly $15K For Breast Cancer Group

November 14, 2021November 14, 2021

The Adirondack Winery’s annual Drink Pink breast cancer awareness fundraiser brought in a record $14,800 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks.
Courtesy Adirondack Winery

The Adirondack Winery ninth annual Drink Pink breast cancer awareness fundraiser brought in a record $14,800 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks, organizers said.

During the month of October, a portion of every purchase made at Adirondack Winery was donated to Making Strides. With the support of its customers, the winery was able to raise nearly $3,000 more than the initial $12,000 goal it set in September.

“We are once again honored to be the top fundraiser of our local Making Strides celebration,” said Adirondack Winery President and co-owner Sasha Pardy. “This disease has touched far too many people and our Drink Pink fundraiser gives us an amazing opportunity to give back to our community and support this incredible organization.”

Adirondack Winery was the flagship sponsor of the local Making Strides event in Glens Falls on Oct. 24. Together, dozens of teams raised $50,000 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks.

Making Strides is an event held across the country, organized by the American Cancer Society.

Over the past nine years, Adirondack Winery has raised over $80,000 for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks during its Drink Pink fundraiser.

100-Year-Old Minogue’s Beverage Center Business Thrives With Four Area Locations

October 18, 2021

John Minogue Jr. is the owner of Minogue’s Beverage Center.
©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

By Christine Graf

In 1921, Irish immigrant Michael Minogue purchased a soda bottling plant and distribution center in Granville, NY. After Prohibition ended in the U.S., he was issued the 34th wholesale beer license in New York state.

Today, the business he founded is thriving under owner John Minogue Jr. He said it is the oldest continuously operated family owned and operated beer distributor in New York state.

This year, it has been celebrating 100 years in business.

Minogue’s Beverage Center has locations in Queensbury, Saratoga Springs, Wilton, and Malta. Stores carry a wide variety of beer including seasonal varieties and craft beer. They also feature a large selection of ciders, growlers, kegs, seltzers, and sodas.

Minogue was 14 when he first started working part-time for his father, John Sr.. At the time, his father operated just one beverage center in Queensbury.

While Minogue was pursuing a degree in economics from College of the Holy Cross, a friend of his father who was a retired F.B.I. agent suggested that Minogue consider a career with the F.B.I. Intrigued by the possibility, he moved to Washington, D.C., and entered the bureau’s clerk -to-agent program after he graduated from college in 1976.

“You could work for the bureau as a clerk assisting agents in their work, and after a three-year period, you would be given an opportunity to take the (agent) exam,” he said.

After the program was eliminated, clerks were no longer guaranteed the opportunity to take the exam. As a result, Minogue made the decision to leave the F.B.I. in 1977.

Adirondack Winery Breaks Ground On $2.6M Winemaking Facility And Tasting Room

October 18, 2021

Michael Pardy and Sasha Pardy, owners of Adirondack Winery, with, from center, Tim Barber, Marissa Barber and Peter Barber of JAG Construction at the facility groundbreaking Oct. 7.
Courtesy Adirondack Winery

Ground was broken Oct. 7 on the Adirondack Winery project that will result in a $2.6 million, 14,100-square-foot winemaking facility and tasting room at the site of its current Queensbury headquarters.

Company officials said the new building will provide the family run winery with the space it needs to triple its wine production over the next 10 years.

The new building will house an all-new tasting room, where the winery plans to offer new services customers have long desired, such as wine by the glass, outdoor seating, and light dining.

The winery will introduce classes and launch tours of the new facility. There are also plans to rent event space for private events and conferences.

The goal is to complete the construction by April, in time for the winery’s 14th anniversary celebration.

“This groundbreaking is the start of a new chapter for Adirondack Winery,” said Adirondack Winery president and co-owner Sasha Pardy. “This company started as a small family business, making wine in the back room of our Lake George tasting room almost 14 years ago. Now we’ve grown to the point where this new building is the only way we are going to keep up with demand.

“Beyond that, we are very excited for all the new opportunities this new building is going to provide for us. We’re going to create a facility that is unlike anything else in Warren County. We want to be a destination for craft beverage lovers from across the Northeast, and this groundbreaking is the first step toward making that happen.”

The new building will be constructed behind the winery’s current headquarters building on a two-acre lot at 395 Big Bay Road in Queensbury. About 8,500 square feet will be used for winemaking (more than twice its size now); 2,600 square feet for the new tasting room and another 2,600 square feet for a dedicated event space, Pardy said.

Volunteers Sought To Help Operate Special Olympic Events In And Around Glens Falls

October 18, 2021

Special Olympics New York is seeking 200 volunteers for its upcoming State Fall Games, which will be held in and around Glens Falls Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23.

Volunteers must be vaccinated and registered in advance. No sports experience is necessary. Volunteers will be trained on site. People can register online at sonylive.nyso.org/pages/app/VAC.

Venue support includes set up, parking assistance, meal distribution, safety assurance, awards, and other specific venue needs.

The following volunteer jobs are available:

Friday, Oct. 22, 5:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m., opening ceremonies at Glens Falls City Park: Help with setup and breakdown of a spectacular event. Assist lining up Special Olympics New York athletes in regional delegations.

Saturday, Oct. 23 Sports Competitions, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Bocce at Adirondack Sports Complex, court management, scoring, awards, venue support. Cycling at SUNY Adirondack, course marshals, venue support; Golf at Brookhaven Golf Course, Caddies, spotters, skills stations, venue support; Cross Country Running at Cole’s Woods, course marshals, venue support.

Soccer at Morse Athletic Complex, scorekeepers, timers; Softball at Morse Athletic Complex and Adirondack Sports Complex, scorekeepers, venue support; Equestrian at Skidmore College-Van Lennep Riding Center, experienced riders to serve as walkers and leaders, non-experienced volunteers for venue support.

Lunch, safety squad, and photo/video volunteers are needed at all venues. Safety Squad volunteers will ensure Special Olympics New York and venue COVID-19 protocols are being followed, and will disinfect areas and equipment in between use.

Johnsburg Supervisor Andrea Hogan Gets Award From Wiawaka Center For Women

October 18, 2021October 21, 2021

Andrea Hogan is this year’s Mary Fuller Women Helping Women Award winner.
Courtesy Wiawaka Center for Women

Wiawaka Center for Women located on the eastern shores of Lake George has presented this year’s Mary Fuller Women Helping Women Award to Warren County Supervisor Andrea Hogan.

In keeping with the vision of Mary Fuller, the Wiawaka Center for Women annually recognizes a person or an organization that exemplifies direct service to and impact on local women with the award.

Hogan has many responsibilities in her many roles in our community. She is the supervisor for the Town of Johnsburg, supervisor of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, an appointed Adirondack Park Commissioner and chair of Economic Growth and Development.

In her role as the Economic and Growth chair for Warren County, “she has demonstrated her fierce advocacy for our community. Her efforts impact women across the State, but they especially impact Warren County, Johnsburg and the Adirondacks,” the organization said.

To that end, in the spring Hogan sponsored the first-ever legislation prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. She works tirelessly to provide countless opportunities for small businesses and zealously advocates for minority and women owned businesses.

In addition to her other positions, Hogan is dedicated to the Girl Scouts in our community, and she helps Adirondack Community Outreach Center provide clothing to those in need, developing community gardens to address food insecurities, providing toys for those during times where they are without and helping mothers and families that are sometimes left not knowing who to turn to for help.