Year in review

We'll be the first to admit that there's no exact science to any ranking system, but after much discussion, this is what we came up with. We're very interested in your feedback. You can reach me at edegrechie@saratogapublishing.com. Have a wonderful 2009!

1. It's official : AMD is coming
After more than two years of discussion, Advanced Micro Devices announced on Oct. 7 that they would commit to their proposal of building their newest computer chip fabrication plant in Malta's Luther Forest Technology Park.
Along with the commitment, company representatives announced that AMD would combine with the Abu Dhabi-based company Advanced Technology Investment Co., to form The Foundry, which would take over plans for the $3.2 billion plant.
In order to prepare for the new company that will bring 1,400 permanent jobs to the area, Malta has been working hard to prepare the technology campus as well as the area surrounding it with projects such as the $22 million Round Lake bypass project, a new water line and building five miles of roads within Luther Forest.
Local schools and colleges are adapting to The Foundry's needs as well. Both Adirondack Community College and Hudson Valley Community College are upgrading technology, engineering and science courses in order to prepare a young workforce, and Ballston Spa High School has introduced a course called Exploration in Nanotechnology.
Discussions began in 2006 about AMD coming to the area and New York State offered the company a $1.2 billion incentive to build in Malta.
AMD had until June 2009 to make the decision to come to the Luther Forest Technology Campus and still receive the incentive.
The Foundry is hoping to break ground in spring 2009. The site should be ready to start making computer chips by 2011 or 2112.
The company promised to give Malta and Stillwater a $5 million grant for community development as a way to support the community that The Foundry will call home.
"We will be a different Malta in 2012," Malta Town Supervisor Paul Sausville said. "We will truly be a 20th century Malta, but we have to be careful not to lose our small town charm. We have to be watchful that we grow to meet The Foundry's needs but we don't want to get caught up in it. Malta needs to grow in a smart fashion. The last thing we want is environmental issues and traffic clogging our roads."

2. NYRA finally gets extension
It's the story that captivated the area for the last several years - would the New York Racing Association continue to run Saratoga Race Course?
There was supposed to be an answer at the close of 2007 as NYRA's contract to control racing operations at Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack ended Dec. 31. NYRA has been running the New York thoroughbred tracks since 1955 and seemed like the frontrunner, especially after getting the seal of approval from then New York governor Eliot Spitzer. Several major bidders also got in on the action and that coupled with NYRA's past discretions made it a tougher decision for lawmakers and officials. Through September 2005, the non-profit NYRA operated the tracks under a deferred prosecution following a 2003 indictment. The charge stemmed from alleged income tax evasion and money laundering by mutuel clerks between 1980 and 1999.
It also didn't help their cause that in 2006 the group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. NYRA blamed the need for the filing on the state not allowing them to install Video Lottery Terminals at Aqueduct for extra income.
On Feb. 13, 2008, NYRA found out it would be running racing for the next 25 years following a 92-40 vote in the Assembly and 39-17 in the Senate. Under new legislation, NYRA was provided hundreds of million dollars in direct aid and loan forgiveness. As part of the agreement, the state also has new oversight abilities.
Sponsored by then Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, the agreement also turned NYRA into a not-for-profit corporation
As the year came to a close, NYRA made major news in the sports world when the New York State Racing and Wagering Board set new rules at New York tracks that limit steroids that are permitted.

3. Bruno steps down
One of the biggest shocks of the year in state politics occurred when the region's beloved state senator Joe Bruno decided to retire from his senate seat after 32 years of service in June.
The 79-year-old Bruno - who was one of the most powerful politicians in the state prior to his retirement - was elected to represent the 43rd Senate District (Rensselaer County and most of Saratoga County) in 1976. Prior to retiring he was one of the oldest serving state legislative leaders in the country and had been the state's top Republican since 2006.
Bruno's decision was not an easy one but he had been under a considerable amount of stress following the death of his wife Barbara in January, an ongoing FBI investigation into his business practices and criticism he received over his leadership ability after Republicans lost a special election in February.
Over the years, Bruno had been instrumental in the area in terms of bringing more than $3 billion dollars in state money to the Capital Region for such projects as renovations to Saratoga Race Course and the construction of the Saratoga Springs City Center. He also brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in capital finances and business incentives, including his work to secure Advanced Micro Device's $3.2 billion computer chip manufacturing plant in Malta.
During his final months in office the man who was widely considered to be the voice of upstate New York throughout more than three decades in office announced he had secured an additional $6 million for the Saratoga Springs City Center expansion, $5.2 million to improve the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and $4 million for a music center at his alma mater, Skidmore College. In total, Bruno secured $153.5 million in state dollars in 2008 alone.
After rumors that Bruno had been considering several jobs in the private sector he accepted a position as chief executive officer of CMA Consulting in Latham - a 410-employee computer programming and services company - just four days after leaving office.

4. Spitzer's Fall
As attorney general, Eliot Spitzer built his career on ethics, a crusader against public corruption who went on to prosecute two major prostitution rings in the state of New York.  As governor, his career was once again defined by a prostitution ring when Spitzer was caught over a federal wire-tap arranging a private meeting with a prostitute on the eve of Valentines Day.  One month later, on March 17, 2008, Spitzer was forced to resign from the governor's office, leaving Lieutenant Governor David Paterson to take his place.   
Referred to as "Client 9" in the federal investigation, Spitzer allegedly spent $4,300 in cash to meet with a 22-year-old woman named Ashley Dupre, aka "Kristin."  As the investigation unfolded, it became clear that Spitzer had spent nearly $15,000 over eight months while visiting a prostitution ring, known as the Emperors Club, on at least eight separate occasions.
The investigation originally began after the IRS noticed suspicious activities with Spitzer's bank accounts, tracing large money transfers that some initially suspected were Spitzer's attempt to hide bribe money.
Following his resignation from office, it was revealed that Spitzer may have spent close to $80,000 over several years on prostitutes, going back to his days as attorney general.
Spitzer has maintained a low profile over the last several months, trying more or less to stay out of the public eye since his scandal.  In Nov. of 2008, prosecutors announced that there was no evidence of misuse of public funds, and therefore no charges would be brought against the former governor. 
Spitzer announced in Sept. of 2008 in The New York Times that he is considering doing some pro-bono legal work in an effort to boost his damaged reputation.  

5. Election '08
Whether it was the excitement over the presidential election that led to the creation of groups like ObamaSaratoga or the heated battles between local candidates, the 2008 elections dominated the headlines for a greater part of the year.
Who could forget the heated Democratic primary that took place between Hillary Rodham Clinton and now President-elect Barack Obama that ended days before the Democratic National Convention when Clinton conceded victory to the Illinois Senator. Or the general election where Barack Obama eventually defeated Republican John McCain to become the first African-American president in United States history.
Then there were the battles here at home in Saratoga County where incumbent Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand defeated Republican Sandy Treadwell in a fierce battle for the 20th Congressional District to secure her second term in congress; Republican Roy McDonald defeated Democrat Mike Russo to fill Joe Bruno's vacant senate seat; Republican Tony Jordan defeated Democrat Ian McGaughey to fill McDonald's 112th assembly district seat and Democrat Jeffrey Wait edged out Republican Matt Dorsey for Saratoga Springs City Court Judge by a margin of 333 votes. 
In state politics the fight for control of the state senate was also up for grabs between the Republicans and Democrats. Going into the Nov. 4 general elections the Republicans held control of the senate by one seat, but by the end of the day the Democrats had won 32 of the 62 seats, giving them a majority in the state senate for the first time since 1965.
In the end, the 2008 election year will go down in history as one of the great elections in American history not only because it ended in the nomination of the country's first African-American president but for the interest it evoked in people across the nation and here at home.  

6. City Council
After Republicans regained control of the Saratoga Springs City Council at the beginning of 2008, the five-member council had a plethora of issues on their plate which left them divided and united at different times throughout the year.
Two of the major battles that divided the council during 2008 have been the debate over Mayor Scott Johnson's proposed indoor recreation center and Commissioner of Public Works Ron Kim's public safety building.
The debate over the indoor rec center which dominated City Council meetings for a greater part of the year has been widely centered around the current need for such a facility and its placement on the South Side recreation fields. While it took months of deliberation and threats from council members and residents about the potential consequences of such a decision, a measure to build the facility at the South Side rec field eventually passed through the council by a narrow margin. But the fight is not over yet as a group known as The Friends of the South Side Park recently filed a lawsuit in Saratoga County Supreme Court to stop the city from building the 33,000 square-foot facility at the current proposed site.
While the indoor rec center created much debate over the year so did Kim's proposed public safety building. In June, he unveiled two different proposals known as the "essential building" and the "enhanced value building" to be constructed in the High Rock parking lot. While each member of the council agreed a new public safety building was greatly needed, they all opposed the options set forth by Kim. This eventually led to a number of intense debates between Kim and the rest of the council over the facility, which culminated in Kim unveiling his failure-o-meter in the police station window. Since then three separate developers have come forth with proposals to build a public safety building in the High Rock lot with the idea that they will lease the building to the city until it can be paid off primarily through the city's first paid parking system. They are yet to decide which of the three proposals they will accept.
One fight that members of the council took up together this year was over video lottery terminal (VLT) aid that Gov. David Paterson had proposed cutting in half as part of his state budget cuts. Realizing the importance of the funds to the future of the city's finances, members of the council headed down to Albany as a team to lobby state officials and the governor's office on behalf of getting VLT aid reinstated in the 2009-10 budget. The group continues to fight for reinstatement of VLT aid to this day.

7. Economy
While the economy has been the major discussion throughout the country for most the year, the anxiety over the woes of the stock market, savings and loan banks, auto industry and the housing market eventually culminated with America officially declaring itself in a recession.  However, the affect that the troubled economic times has had on local residents and businesses could be seen all year long.
During the summer months rising oil prices that spiked to levels of more than $4 per gallon hit people's wallets hard. The idea of 'staycation' became a popular term around the region as people were not able to afford to travel with the high prices at the pump. The effects could also be seen during the Saratoga racing season where NYRA officials' worst nightmares came true when the track saw a drastic drop in attendance compared to the 2007 racing season.
Then there was the major concern over home heating fuel, which left many people wondering if they would have to decide between heat or food during the winter months. With oil prices looking as though they were only going to keep rising, some residents even locked in at a fixed price prior to prices dropping under $2 per gallon later in the fall - leaving them to flip the bill for the $4 per gallon fuel, while others benefited from the drop in price.
Local business also felt the effects of the local economy this year when Quizno's Subs, Saratoga Cigar and Pipe and Weathervane Seafood closed their doors after years of business in the Spa City, while Gallery 100, Silver and Stones and Designers Studio were either sold or went out of business. The drop in business at locally-owned outlets created a call to consumers to "buy locally" during the holiday season after rumors arose that it could potentially be the worst holiday shopping season in decades.
"Everyone is affected now by this economic situation," Dawn Oesch, President of the Downtown Business Association said. "Some businesses persevere because they have been around for a long time but that's not the case for everyone. We might even see more (closings)."

8. Teacher Sex Offenders
2008 saw an influx of sex offenders in Saratoga County, starting the year out by putting convicted offender and former Shenendahowa School District teacher Christopher Culver behind bars.
Culver, 33, of Clifton Park was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Jan 22 after he pled guilty to 49 felony counts in relation to the molestation of eight boys in his kindergarten and first-grade classes. He was arrested in February 2007 and pled guilty in November 2007.
Following on the coattails of Culver, Douglas Conrad, 35, of Jefferson St., Saratoga Springs, was charged in February and March with various crimes relating to the molestation of three boys ages 12 to 15. The former Saratoga Springs School District bus driver was arrested following an investigation after one of the boys came forward and told his family Conrad had touched him between April and December 2007. After pleading guilty to three counts of second-degree sexual abuse, he was sentenced Oct. 7 to 60 days in jail and six years probation, will have to register as a level II sex offender under Megan's Law for the remainder of his lifetime, has to pay $2,252 in fines and will have a permanent order of protection against him for the victims. 
Along with Conrad, his uncle and roommate James Wiley, 61, was charged in February of having sexual contact with a 16-year-old boy at his home and pled guilty to the charge in October. Wiley was sentenced to 18 months in jail, six years of parole, a lifetime registry as a sex offender under Megan's Law, will have to pay $1,353 in fines and was ordered to stay away from the victim.
Finally, Thomas Filion, 68, of Elizabeth Lane, Saratoga Springs, was arrested on charges of first-degree sex abuse, a class D felony, second-degree unlawful imprisonment, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child. He was sentenced on Nov. 23 to three months in jail and 10 years probation. Filion, a retired teacher, admitted to contact with a 15-year-old boy in the Saratoga YMCA locker room. He blocked the boys' exit to the shower room and fondled his genitals, according to court records. Saratoga County District Attorney James Murphy said he did not agree with Filion's short sentence but because Filion pled guilty to all charges, the decision was out of his hands.
"The judge felt that a three-month sentence was appropriate. I support the criminal justice system as it is presently configured, but if I were the victim of the crime, I would feel that the sentence is inadequate," Murphy said.

9. Fire ravages Corinth
On the night of Feb. 11, the face of downtown Corinth was forever changed when a fire destroyed four businesses, left three families homeless and knocked out power for more than 50 village residents.
Fire crews from Corinth and surrounding communities remained at the scene well into the next day, causing the water levels in Corinth and Lake Luzerne to drop dangerously low and canceling school for the Corinth Central School District. The cause of the fire was determined to be a faulty furnace
For more than three months, much of the devastation remained in a large pile of asbestos-filled rubble in the center of Main Street in Corinth until a heated town meeting was held in May to determine if property owners would be allowed to use State grant monies to assist with cleaning costs. The Corinth Town Board had $74,000 left of a $650,000 Community Development Block Grant which had to be used by September or it would be lost.
Because asbestos was found in the rubble, costs to clear the site skyrocketed, making the price tag too steep for the private property owners to pay.
While the board allowed the decision to pass, many residents objected to letting public funds assist with the private cleanup jobs.
"If a private house burned down, we wouldn't get a grant to rebuild our home. It's not our fault the business owners were underinsured," said resident Jim Murray.
With the help of the remaining Block Grant, the site was cleared by mid-June; however, no advancements have been made since.
Saratoga Springs also suffered the loss a home by a fire at 153 Grand Ave. on Jan.23.  Fire officials said the cause was likely improperly discarded cigarettes or cigars. While no injuries were reported, all seven residents of the multi-family complex became homeless when the house was declared a total loss. A supportive community gathered at The Local Pub and Teahouse on Jan. 27 to raise money for the victims, collecting more than $11,000. 

10. Price Chopper
For more than a year, rumors were flying around that the Railroad Place Price Chopper was going to be sold or torn down, leaving West Side residents wondering whether or not they would have grocery store.
Rumors started in the spring of 2007 when The Saratogian announced that Trader Joe's, a high-end grocery store, could be taking the place of Price Chopper. The owners of the supermarket chain, the Golub family, denied the claim.
The Railroad Place Price Chopper began making headlines again in February when rumors that the supermarket had been sold spread. The Golubs neither confirmed nor denied the claim. Within weeks, they said nothing more than "negotiations were taking place."
Nothing else was heard about the store or its future until Oct. 31, when Neil Golub, president of the chain, announced that the grocery store, along with the adjacent parking lot, had been sold to local developer Sonny Bonacio for $4.25 million. As part of the deal, the Price Chopper will remain open for three years while Bonacio and Golub make plans for a multi-use building, with a promise to keep a grocery store on the site as well as parking. Preliminary plans have the new building on the opposite side of the parking lot from where the Price Chopper currently sits.   
"People like the downtown store, and that message has been loud and clear," Golub said. "We will continue to serve this community to the best of our ability."
He added that the new store would continue to carry the basic needs of the community at an affordable price. As for the rest of the building, plans have not yet been made.
"We have to recognize the demographics of the people around the store," Golub said, adding that he was aware of the lower income housing as well as the high-end condos in the proximity of the property.
Currently plans are still being negotiated and there is no timeline set for the project.