Job Interviews are common practice and one of the most critical components of any hiring process. Yet, hiring managers will often take freedom with the interview process and the questions they ask. While they may seem innocuous and are often common practice, asking an interviewee personal characteristic questions may be viewed as discrimination, as...
Many Non-Profit Agencies Depend Heavily On The Volunteer Efforts Of Local Senior Citizens
By Christine Graf
Volunteering is vital to the economy, the estimated economic value of volunteer work in America exceeding $120 billion. With volunteer rates and hours on a steady decline for the past 20 years, local non-profits are relying more than ever on the 50-plus demographic.
Family Services Association of Glens Falls, a non-profit agency that provides services and support to families in crisis or in an emergency situation, relies heavily on a small team of volunteers, most of them retired. The agency serves Warren, Washington and Northern Saratoga counties.
“We help people that are in situations that are beyond their resources,” said Executive Director Kimberly Sopczyk. “We pride ourselves on being kind and offering assistance and support. Our volunteers play a large role with that.”
Volunteers staff the agency’s full-service food pantry, one that operates Monday through Friday.
“We consider it an emergency food pantry because you don’t need an appointment,” said Sopczyk. “You can either call that day and arrange a visit or stop in.”
According to Sopczyk, the agency also relies on volunteers to help with Feet First, an annual event that takes place in August.
“We assist low-income families with purchasing new school shoes for their children to return to school in the fall. Our tagline is that we want all children to put their best foot forward. Our goal is to serve 450 this summer,” she said.
Senior Demographic Is Now Opting For Full-Service Travel Advisors When Planning Trips
By Christine Graf
Americans are traveling in record numbers, with the United States aviation industry reporting that 2023 was its busiest year ever. Local travel advisors expect 2024 to be another banner year for travel, particularly among the age 50-plus demographic.
At Heber Travel Services in Queensbury, sales manager Stacie Baxter said many of her clients in the 50-plus demographic are venturing to far-off destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Africa, and Australia.
“People are traveling more, and they are taking month-long vacations instead of one-week vacations. A lot of older people are traveling, and my oldest this year is 95, and he’s going to Europe,” she said.
Many of Baxter’s clients are opting for ocean or river cruises or a combination of land and sea vacations. Others are choosing to travel to countries from which their ancestors emigrated, their interest often fueled by genealogy research.
“I see a lot of older people wanting to go back to their roots,” she said. “They may go and spend a month there.”
Regardless of the destination, when working with agents at Heber Travel, clients receive personalized attention.
The Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council Announces Community Arts Grants for 2024
The Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (LARAC) has announced the recipients of its Community Arts Grant program for 2024.
Local artists and organizations will receive $100,000 for arts programming taking place throughout Warren and Washington Counties in 2024.
This grant opportunity is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by LARAC. The Community Arts Grant is a re-grant program that provides financial assistance for community-based arts activities.
The goal of the Statewide Community Regrant (SCR) program is to provide quality arts programming to all of Warren and Washington Counties; assist emerging arts organizations; support the artistic expression of Warren and Washington County’s diversity; and make arts programming accessible to under-served audiences.
For 2024, six Individual Artists will receive $2,500 to produce new work, three of them being Serena Kovalosky of Washington County for her project “Moving Mountains: The Mustard Seed Project,” Jenny Hutchinson of Warren County for her project “Collaborative Public Mural: The Community Gardens,” and Daniel Costello of Washington County for his project “The Old Man in the ICU.”
Saratoga Springs Harbor Freight Joins Glens Falls And Clifton Park As Third Area Location
Harbor Freight Tools opened its new store in Saratoga Springs on July 13.
The Saratoga Springs store, located 3064 Route 50, will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Over 75 million customers, from professional contractors and technicians to homeowners and hobbyists, come to Harbor Freight to find the tools and equipment they need to get the job done. The company has a world-class team of engineers and experts in all tool categories to ensure that its tools meet or exceed industry standards and deliver unsurpassed value.
The store stocks a full selection of tools and equipment in categories including automotive, air and power tools, storage, outdoor power equipment, generators, welding supplies, shop equipment, hand tools and much more. The
The new store is the 66th Harbor Freight Tools store in New York state. The company, which hired locally, has brought between 25-30 new jobs to the community.
Business Briefs: July 2024
Aviation Mall has announced the inclusion of 518 Grapplers, a facility offering wrestling programs for area youth.
Jen Bromley, owner of 518 Grapplers, explains the evolution of their wrestling facility: “Our journey started in 2020 with wrestling practices in our basement with Head Coach Heath Bromley. As interest grew, we launched the Queensbury Grapplers, an off-season wrestling program through Queensbury Parks and Recreation. This initiative, catering to students from 1st to 12th grade, complemented the in-season “Mat Rats” youth wrestling program for grades K-6. Due to the limited availability of school facilities, which were often occupied by other sports, concerts, plays, and school activities, we recognized the need to create our own space to accommodate the growing interest in wrestling,” she said.
“The Queensbury Grapplers program quickly became a hub for young athletes from surrounding areas, including Warrensburg and Glens Falls, who shared our passion for expanding local wrestling opportunities. Our primary goal is to provide year-round wrestling opportunities without the need for long commutes, as the nearest off-season wrestling programs are in Malta, which was not feasible for many families. By offering flexible options such as monthly dues and drop-in rates, we made off-season training more accessible and affordable for parents,” she concluded.
518 Grapplers is located next to the former Sears space in the mall. For more information, email 518grapplers@gmail.com.
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The Fall 2024 SEED Program is now accepting applications.
The SEED Loan Program is a character-based loan fund developed in partnership between Broadview Federal Credit Union and the University at Albany’s Small Business Development Center and School of Business. The program provides 10 weeks of entrepreneurial training after which the participant is eligible to pitch for a character-based loan of up to $35,000.
.All accepted participants are required to participate in 11 weeks of training prior to their loan pitch. The training classes include business skill development, business plan development, and peer support network.
The Fall 2024 program is planned to be virtually via the Zoom platform. Consistent access to a computer is strongly recommended for all participants.
Following the training classes, each of the participants will pitch their concept to the loan committee for funding consideration. The loan decision is based on the character of the application and the overall business concept.
Throughout the program participants are supported by a dedicated business advisor from the Small Business Development Center, a dedicated MBA consultant to assist them in developing their business model and an entrepreneurship professor from the University at Albany’s School of Business.
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Construction Of A New Bass Pro Shops In Clifton Park Expected To Start This Summer
Courtesy Bass Pro Shops
By Christine Graf
More than a year after announcing plans to build a new Bass Pro Shops in Clifton Park, the sporting goods retailer has received final site plan approval from the Town of Clifton Park Planning Board. Construction is expected to begin this summer on the 77,000-square-foot store at 400 Clifton Park Center Road.
According to Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett, Bass Pro Shops could not move forward with construction until the company received final approval from federal and state agencies.
“There was a lot of speculation about why the town was holding them up, but it had nothing to do with us,” he explained. “They had to complete a process over and above what was required by the town. As far as the town was concerned, they had satisfied all of our requirements some time ago.”
Bass Pro Shops’ decision to build a store in Clifton Park was the culmination of several years of discussions between the retailer and town officials.
Muroff Hospitality Group Facilitates $3.1M Sale Of Lake George’s Mohican Resort And Storage Facility
Muroff Hospitality Group announced the sale of The Mohican Resort of Lake George and the 8000 square foot Boats by George Storage Building, located at 1545 State Route 9, Lake George, New York. Both properties were owned by Chad Nims (1545 State Route 9 LLC). The entire property is 4.69 Acres and was recently subdivided to sell the motel property (3.75 acres) to Amit & Payal Kumar and the Boat Storage Building (.94 acre)) to George Pensel (Five Star Marina Properties, LLC).
This well-established, long-time family-owned resort boasts 44 units, ranging in size from traditional guest rooms to 2-bedroom suites, condo-like units, townhouses and a newly renovated 4-bedroom home. Additional amenities include sparkling outdoor and heated indoor swimming pools, game room, business center, basketball court, BBQ grills, fitness center, park like setting, gazebo, guest laundry, children’s playground, housekeeping, and more. The Mohican Resort is only minutes to Great Escape, the Lake George Outlets, Millionaires Beach, Cruise Ships, Village of Lake George, Ft. William Henry, restaurants, shopping, bars and local attractions.
Certified Brewmasters Will Produce Custom-Brewed Beverages At Bandstand Brew Works
By Jill Nagy
The outside of the building will be different from anything else in Warrensburg; inside, it will be industrial with a touch of the Adirondacks.
That is how Adam Langworthy, co-owner of Bandstand Brew Works, under construction at 3922 Main Street and scheduled to open this summer, describes the brewpub.
The building incorporates an 1855 barn with new construction. The finished structure will be able to seat 250 people, inside and outside.
Langworthy and his cousin and business partner, Darby Langworthy, have been home brewers, producing about five gallons at a time. To produce volumes “way beyond that,” he expects the process to be largely the same. Plans are for a variety of beers—“something for everyone”—including IPA’s, stouts, and a sour beer. For non-beer drinkers there will be a homemade hard seltzer. Customers sitting in the tap room will have a window into the brewery.
Deane Moss is returning to the area from Connecticut as the chef. Langworthy promises “classic pub-style favorites” and specials every week. “He is a very experienced chef and fits well with our team,” Langworthy said.
A Warren County Study Indicates That Local Residents Are Being Priced Out Of Market
By Paul Post
A recent Warren County study indicates strong demand for all types of housing, from downsizing empty-nesters to the seasonal workforce that’s vital to the region’s tourism industry.
But the report also reveals a striking gap between what many full-time workers earn and the cost of home ownership, creating a major negative economic impact.
“Even if we were to pretend that the housing needs of the seasonal hospitality industry didn’t exist there is still a mismatch between the wages provided by year-round employers in most of our region’s industries and the cost of housing in Warren County,” said Ethan Gaddy, Warren County planner. “Wages for the majority of occupations do not pay a sufficiently high enough salary for a single-earner household to afford the median single-family home in Warren County at current prices.”
“What this means is that existing businesses in our area are struggling to fill positions because workers can’t afford to live here,” he said. “This also means that we will have difficulty creating new businesses as well. This is impacting schools, hospitals, municipalities, emergency services and community organizations.”