Column as I see ’em! Election thoughts, traffic woes, Ed and Lisa Mitzen, The Saratogian, Longfellows and more!

I am finally getting back to writing the ‘Column as I see ‘em commentaries’. I got a lot of good feedback from many of you on these but the time I spent prepping for and recording the two different podcasts I am part of just pushed this column off my agenda. It’s back, and I intend to write with some level of regularity. Here we go:

Let’s give it up for Jim Tedisco. Man, that guy is a vote-getter. The 44^th Senate District was gerrymandered to give the Democrats a significant enrollment advantage, thereby giving them a likely win against the presumptive Republican candidate Daphne Jordan. Tedisco, upsetting some in the GOP by initiating a primary against Jordan, upended the Dems’ plans by running – and winning – in the 44^th. When I worked in Albany I had a good professional relationship with Senator Jordan since her days that she was on Senator Kathy Marciano’s staff, so I was bothered by Tedisco’s primary against her in a district in which he did not live in. Jordan ultimately stopped campaigning in the primary (although she remained on the ballot and garnered roughly 20% of the vote tally). The Democratic candidate, Schenectady County Legislator Michelle Ostrelich, was new to most Saratoga County voters, but I was intrigued by her energy and focus. In the end the voters decided the best candidate was the 72-year old Tedisco, who has been in the NYS Legislature for almost 40 years! He’s a familiar face in Saratoga Springs and can often be seen at the track, so he knows Saratoga well.
Other impressive winners that deserve congratulations, all incumbents, include District Attorney Karen Heggen, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, and Saratoga Springs Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub. With that being said, I really want to give a hand to Democratic District Attorney candidate Michael Phillips, GOP Assembly candidate David Catalfamo, GOP candidate for Public Works Anthony Scirocco plus the aforementioned Ostrelich. For too many cycles it seemed like elections were foregone conclusions with underfunded and not-so-engaged challengers, but not this year. These candidates, who fell short but didn’t lose in my book, contributed to our democracy by giving voters spirited efforts and real choices.
The Saratogian is, and make sure you’re seated for this, actually trying to be a newspaper again. They even reported timely election results this year (at least online). Make no mistake, it’s still a really crappy excuse for a newspaper, with old news, Troy news and regurgitated press releases instead of any investigative analysis and other diligent journalistic work, but it does seem that someone there (or at least the parent corporation) is directing an effort to be almost relevant. I just wish they had an actual presence here, but those days are long gone.
I’m a sucker for nostalgia. I’m going to miss the pay phones at Stewart’s Shops, which will be removed in the coming months. Heck, I still lament the removal of the one at Compton’s probably 5 years ago.
Saratoga resident Robert Millis can sometimes come off as gruff, but man is he a thinker! I am really excited for his visionary plans to remake Saratoga First Night into New Year’s Fest with national bands and two days of activities (at least this year with New Year’s Even falling on a Saturday). I hope this falls together really well.
There’s quite the construction operation going on at Saratoga Spa State Park to expand the parking lot to the west of the Gideon Putnam Hotel. The lot is parallel to Roosevelt Drive and is being expanded southwards, loosely in the direction of the Victorian Pool lot. I hate to see green space taken over by asphalt, but I guess that’s the price to pay for having a beautiful park popular with increasing number of patrons.
Add Maple Avenue (mornings, near the middle school) and Van Dam Street to my list of annoying traffic backup thoroughfares in or near the Spa City.
Speaking of Van Dam, wow the mammoth Van Dam/Adelphi project is really taking shape. If you haven’t been downtown in a while take a gander from Washington Street near UPH.
Geez I hated to see the announced closure of Longfellow’s. It’s near my house and I really loved the bar – my wife and I would occasionally get there for a drink and we enjoyed a little time away from the kids. I understand the new owners have big plans for the location – the TU reported they will expand the location into a resort. My kids want to know if they will keep the big goldfish. Last day of business is reported as January 21.
Back to annoying traffic backups, I am pleased to note the construction on Excelsior Ave is just about complete and it is finally open. I didn’t go that way too often, but when I did the closures and detours were maddening. Best part about it all is the downtown portion of the Greenbelt Trail is open and it looks just dandy.

Above: an aerial rendering of the traffic work that the city of Saratoga Springs released before the project’s work began. Below: A photo of the street and trail as it looks today. (photo by Dan De Federicis)

During my work day I often walk down Division Street towards Broadway. I usually glance inside of the Fingerpaint offices, in the old Borders building, and notice that almost nobody is sitting at desks. It’s a result of business changes after COVID of course, but it makes me wonder what the long term plan is of that location.
Continuing along with Fingerpaint and the company’s Founder Ed Mitzen, the Business For Good foundation that he cofounded with his wife Lisa Mitzen sure is doing positive things here in Saratoga, Albany and well beyond. The foundation has been in the National News this year, including this recent article, about its $1 million donation to the victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre. This is such wonderful work by the Mitzens and their foundation, and it all is based here in Saratoga Springs.
My Buffalo Bills and the Minnesota Vikings sure entertained football fans on Sunday with their crazy “Instant Classic”. I just wish my snake-bitten team from my snake-bitten hometown would come out on top of just one of the many instant classics they seem to be part of. BTW, did you read my article in the new issue of Saratoga Living showing how connected Saratoga Springs is to the Buffalo Bills? Very connected, in fact the franchise that ultimately became the Bills was conceived by Ralph Wilson here in the Spa City when he was attending the races in August of 1959. Read it here!

OK folks, as always I have more things to write than I have time for, but this is a pretty good comeback effort for my first one after this column’s hiatus. Enjoy the week!