Glens Falls Business Journal

In 25 Years As Owner Of CLA SITE, Loyola Has Seen Industry Changes And Challenges

July 14, 2022

Peter Loyola, center, poses with the staff of his CLA SITE business at SPAC in front of new buildings his firm helped design. He has owned the business for 25 years.
©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jill Nagy

Landscape architects do far more than decide where to lay sod and plant flowers. Companies like the Saratoga Spring landscape architecture firm CLA SITE—which is celebrating 25 years in business—are far more complex.

Among its projects was the redesigned of the concession area at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, including siting the new buildings and redoing the stormwater management plan. The company is also working with Envision Architects to develop a new indoor/outdoor market complex in Glens Falls.

It is also redoing part of Albany’s Empire State Plaza to alleviate drainage and stormwater problems.

“Lawns are for entry level folks,” said Peter Loyola, the company’s founder and principal.

Today’s landscape architect combines aspects of civil engineering, architecture, and urban planning, as well as environmental permitting. The full name of the company reflects that pedigree: CLA Site Landscape Architecture, Engineering, and Planning PC.

Fans Of ‘X-Files’ Television Show Can Buy Collectibles At New Shop/Museum In Wilton

July 14, 2022

Jim Thornton is one of the owners of the X-Files Preservation Collection and Collectibles.
©2022 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jill nagy

Fans of the television series “X-Files” can get their shot of nostalgia and mementos to take home at the X-Files Preservation Collection and Collectibles in Wilton.

The combination shop and museum opened on April 30 with visits from Chris Carter, creator of the drama series, and Keith Arbuthnot, an actor who played monsters on the show, as well as fans from around the world, according to Jim Thornton, one of the owners of the collection.

Visitors can view a collection of props and costumes actually used in filming episodes of the series, some of them contributed by Carter. Thornton and his wife and business partner, Kelly Anthony, began collecting X-Files memorabilia in the 1990s.

“I loved the show and thought: Wow, I’d like to own something from it,” Thornton recalled. By 2019, the couple had accumulated enough items to fill a moving truck and they drove it to X-Fest, an X-Files convention in Chicago.

Thornton thinks that someone who saw their display in Chicago must have contacted Carter and told him about it. Shortly afterward, Carter “found us” and donated a few things, he said. From there, “it progressed and grew bigger and bigger.”

Mannix: Small Businesses Can Benefit From Email Marketing, Social Media Promotions

July 14, 2022

Sara Mannix, president and CEO of Mannix Marketing digital marketing agency in Glens Falls, offers a variety of advice for businesses to have effective online marketing.

By Andrea Harwood

Trends in small business online marketing are leaning toward social media and Google Ad services. But an often forgotten tool is email marketing.

“One of the most overlooked but simplest thing any business can do is email marketing on a regular basis,” said Sara Mannix, president and CEO of Mannix Marketing digital marketing agency in Glens Falls. She has been in business since 1996.

“I think people are afraid to email too frequently. But if you’re doing a good job collecting emails and getting to know who your customers and target market are and reaching them with relevant information, it’s incredibly cost effective.”

People are aware of what social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can do for a business, she said. Often overlooked is the social media platform TikTok, a short-form video hosting service and social media platform. For the right person going after the right customer, particularly the younger demographic, the platform is a good avenue for exposure.

New York State Names Colin Ahern As Its First-Ever Head Of Cybersecurity

July 14, 2022

Colin Ahern has been appointed as the state’s first-ever chief cyber officer.

A leading expert in cybersecurity, cyber resilience, and intelligence, Ahern will lead cross-agency efforts to protect New York state from increasingly prevalent and sophisticated cyber threats—working to ensure the security and cyber resilience of the State’s information assets and critical infrastructure and integrity of the state’s information assets.

“New York State is taking an aggressive, nation-leading approach to transforming our cybersecurity infrastructure to combat emerging threats and fortify our information assets,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “I am thrilled to appoint Colin Ahern as New York state’s first ever chief cyber officer. In an era of increasingly advanced cyber threats, Colin’s proven expertise and experience in the military, the private sector, and government will be critical to identifying cyber risks, enhancing our defense systems, preventing attacks, and ensuring that New Yorkers and our institutions remain protected.”

Ahern will oversee all cyber threat assessment, mitigation, and response efforts—working with executive management at every state agency to manage cyber risks and prevent attacks. Ahern will also lead the recently-announced Joint Security Operations Center—a nation-leading, first-of-its-kind hub for cyber threat detection and incident response. Formed by Governor Hochul in February, JSOC will be critical to cyber threat information sharing—effectively linking New York state, New York City, local and regional governments, critical infrastructure stakeholders, and federal partners.

“I am honored to have this opportunity to serve New Yorkers and work with Gov. Hochul and her team to continue to build and enhance our statewide cybersecurity infrastructure,” Ahern said. “This administration is committed to leading the nation on cybersecurity, and I am so excited to join the front lines of that effort.”

Public Service Commission Unveils First Statewide Map Of Broadband Infrastructure

July 14, 2022

The state Public Service Commission released a first-of-its-kind, interactive broadband map to provide the most detailed depiction of broadband infrastructure in New York to date.

The map, along with an accompanying report, is the result of months of field assessments conducted by the commission in the state’s most remote areas, covering more than 80,000 miles. In order to collect accurate data, the commission collaborated with 60 internet service providers and surveyed tens of thousands of New York consumers.

“High-speed internet is more essential than ever to access the basic services and information that we use in our daily lives,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “With this mapping in hand, we can see where to direct state and federal broadband funding to connect unserved and underserved areas. This address-specific tool is one we can wield to provide a more accurate depiction of connectivity needs in areas that have been disconnected for far too long.”

Prior to the map’s creation, New York, like most states, relied in part on federal data that only required broadband providers to deliver service to one address in a census block to designate the entire area as served. Officials said by collecting address-level data, New York is now able to depict what locations are served, underserved, and unserved in a more granular way, which will aid in allocating state and federal funding.

To support local efforts to expand affordable and reliable broadband, ConnectALL, housed within Empire State Development, will establish and administer grant programs at the state and federal level to provide funding to plan, engineer, and construct accessible broadband infrastructure. ESD will be the statewide lead for connectivity and coordinating with other state agencies, municipalities and a diverse array of stakeholders in every corner of New York.

Adirondack Thunder Will Play 72-Game Schedule; First Home Game Set For Nov. 11

July 14, 2022

The Adirondack Thunder will play 72 games for the 2022-23 ECHL season.
Courtesy Adirondack Thunder

The Adirondack Thunder, the ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils and Utica Comets, announced their schedule for the 2022-23 season at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls.

The first home game is Nov. 11.

The 72-game campaign features two trips to St. John’s, a trek to Norfolk, and a voyage down to Florida. This season will also showcase two out-of-division teams, Greenville and Atlanta, visiting Cool Insuring Arena.

The schedule is as follows:

October

Saturday, Oct. 22 at Worcester, DCU Center, 7:05 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 23 at Worcester, DCU Center, 3:05 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 29 vs. Worcester, Cool Insuring Arena, 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 30 vs. Worcester, Cool Insuring Arena, 3 p.m.

November

Friday, Nov. 4 at Trois-Rivières, Colisèe Vidèotron, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 5 at Trois-Rivières, Colisèe Vidèotron, 3 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Worcester, Cool Insuring Arena, 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Worcester, Cool Insuring Arena, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 16 vs. Greenville, Cool Insuring Arena, 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 18 at Reading, Santander Arena, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 23 vs. Newfoundland, Cool Insuring Arena, 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 25 vs. Newfoundland, Cool Insuring Arena, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 26 vs. Reading, Cool Insuring Arena, 7 p.m.

Business Report: When Is It Too Late To Plan Your Estate?

July 14, 2022

Debra Verni, principal of the Herzog Law Firm in Saratoga Springs.

By Debra A. Verni, ESQ.

The answer to this age-old question is, it depends. It depends on what you consider estate planning. It is a safe bet that after you pass away it is too late to prepare a will to dispose of your worldly possessions, but an estate plan is not just a will.

A good estate plan consists of a will, a durable power of attorney, a health care proxy and a living will. When is the best time to create an estate plan? Any time after the age of 18. I know 18 sounds young to be worrying about an estate plan but 18 is a pivotal age. Most parents forget that when their children turn 18 their ability to get information or make health care decisions for their children ends.

Most kids at 18 are off to college. As a parent of a college student, especially one far away from home, you should have your child appoint you as their health care proxy so you can receive medical information and make medical decisions for them if they become hospitalized or need care. Additionally, your child should appoint you as their power of attorney so you can deal with financial aid and any other financial issues such as housing, paying bills etc.

So now that your kids are all set what about you? Do you have an estate plan? I always joke with clients and say that if you don’t have a will, you have a won’t. I won’t ever die, I won’t need to plan, everything will work out fine.

Business Report: Receiving Care At Home

July 14, 2022

Brian M. Johnson, director, business development, Advisors Insurance Brokers.

By Brian M. Johnson, MBA, CLTC

Long-Term Care, we often dread hearing the words. Our minds quickly go to an image of a nursing home. However, the good news is that many of us will never see the inside of a nursing home.

According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, the vast majority (80 percent) of elderly people receiving assistance, including many with several functional limitations, live in private homes in the community, not in institutions. Your home doesn’t instill the same doom and gloom that a nursing home might.

Still, in a recent study of adults over age 65, it was found that most respondents were more comfortable discussing and planning for their own death than their potential need for long-term care. That is probably why many Americans fail to address this single biggest risk they will face in retirement.

In our practice, we regularly address long-term care planning options. In doing so, we consistently coordinate planning with elder law and estate planning attorneys, geriatric care managers, accountants, and financial advisors. One of the biggest misconceptions we hear from consumers and advisors is that long-term care is covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

Many seniors are under the impression that their traditional health care programs will provide the desired services in the home such as meal preparation, grocery shopping, assistance with hygiene, dressing, grooming, 24-hour care, etc. Medicare, Medigap and most Medicare Advantage Plans are designed to cover hospital stays, doctor bills and some short-term skilled nursing. Unfortunately, they do not cover the cost of everyday assistance in your own home.

Travelodge By Wyndham Hotel In Lake George Sold; Stays Open For 2022 Season

July 14, 2022

The Travelodge Wyndham Hotel in Lake George is under new ownership.

By Andrea Harwood

Muhammad Bilal, a Whitehall food wholesaler and restaurant supplier, recently purchased the Travelodge by Wyndham Hotel in Lake George.

The hotel is currently operational with a bar and restaurant, and has 104 rooms. The property sits on just under 10 acres of land in the heart of Lake George, and was purchased for $1.175 million in May.

In additional to owning and operating Green Mountain Food Services in Whitehall, Bilal currently owns an Econolodge in Rutland, Vt. He said the robust tourism in Lake George made purchasing the Travelodge an attractive proposition.

“Lake George itself is a pretty famous spot for its tourism summers. And the hotel has the best location, with the mountain view and the lake view,” said Bilal.

The Travelodge is located at 2011 Route 9 in Lake George.

He plans to keep the hotel open and operating through the 2022 season, and complete renovations during the slower off-season. “We will open up even better next year,” said Bilal.

The property also comes with a bar/restaurant but he does not plan to open them this year because he has not been able to find employees.

“We don’t have any help, so we’re not going to run the restaurant this year. Hopefully, if we have the right staff, we’ll have a good opening for next year,” said Bilal.

Many Improvements Planned At Adirondack Camping Village By New Ownership Group

June 17, 2022

Interior of one of nine rental cabins on site. More units are planned in the future.
Courtesy Lake George Camping Village

By Christine Graf

The 67-acre Adirondack Camping Village in Lake George has been purchased for $4.5 million by Athena Real Estate, a company based in Orlando, Fla., and founded by Siena College graduate Richard O’Brien.

Located less than two miles from the Village of Lake George, the family-friendly campground, features RV sites, camping cabins, and single tent campsites.

It now operates under the name Lake George Camping Village.

Athena Real Estate is a private real estate investment firm that invests in manufactured home communities, RV parks and resorts, and self-storage facilities. Prior to founding Athena in 2004, O’Brien, a CPA, was CFO for a multi-billion-dollar real estate investment trust. He also worked in the commercial real estate division of GE Capital Corp., and it was there that he developed an interest in real estate investment.