Kent and Sandy Tarkleson are on the brink of opening Tark's Indoor Golf Club, a state-of-the-art indoor golf facility that is open year-round.

Beginning this evening, The Great Escape will be transformed into a winter wonderland with themed shows, festive foods and thousands of twinkling lights.

Beginning this evening, The Great Escape will be transformed into a winter wonderland with themed shows, festive foods and thousands of twinkling lights.

Through the generosity of the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club and AJ Arpey Inc. of Ballston Spa, the children living in the Allen Drive area will now have a safe place to play and get fresh air.

This past September, Saratoga Springs High School launched an elective class for seniors aimed at local history.

After 23 years of working for large real estate firms, Judith Van Patten decided to break out and begin her own business.

With a strong commitment to supporting local small businesses and local lending, it's not a surprise The Adirondack Trust Company was awarded the title of Small Community Bank Lender of the Year for the fiscal year 2009 by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), Syracuse District.

On a more positive note, three Saratoga County farms recently participated in the Seventh Annual Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge, a local division of the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, which took place on November 5 through 7.

In an effort to reduce the pressure on struggling dairy farmers, Schumer called on the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to take a hard look at the dairy industry and identify where the problems exist. In response to Schumer's urging, the nation's top antitrust official will be coming to New York State to meet with dairy farmers and consumers to explore this problem.

While it is always exciting to go on an adventure, it is also great to come home to Saratoga Springs. Many of my regular readers know I spent the last two weeks as a student at the Northeast Regional Training Center of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).

This year we can be thankful for this extended fall growing season that is giving us some of the most gorgeous fall veggies.

For the fifteenth year, in a wonderful custom that celebrates the beginning of the holiday season, the Malta Ballet Company (a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating young children and adults in the arts) will take the stage of The Egg for performances of "The Nutcracker" on Friday, December 4 (10:30 am and 12:15 pm) and Saturday, December 5 (2:30 and 7:30 p.m.).

The last time Colin Smith came to Saratoga Springs, he was the lead singer/guitarist of the alt rock/new wave band "MRNORTH," which enjoyed a great run and opened for Journey at SPAC. MRNORTH played the large festivals including Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo and shared the stage with the leading lights and legends of rock, including The Who, Van Halen, Sheryl Crow, Bryan Adams, OAR and Gavin DeGraw, in addition to releasing 2 well-received studio albums.

As we approach the holidays, people are making all kinds of anticipatory preparations and gift plans. But part of the experience, for better or worse, is the soundtrack.

Disposable Culture is a band that captures the 80's music you remember and love. You can see them at the tail end of your "Black Friday" festivities one week from today.

The Get Away is not your typical sports bar; you won't find rowdy, drunk fans or rival team disputes.

Hear yea! Hear yea! Hear yea!

Following up his first filmed screenplay ("The Wrestler"), writer-director Robert Siegel once again demonstrates in the 2009 release "Big Fan" (airing at The Saratoga Film Forum this weekend) a unique and potent vision of the human experience, in all of its harsh truths and hopeful humanity.