Week of 12/26-1/1

Roy McDonald was sworn in as state senator on Sunday, Dec. 28 to fill the seat vacated by Joe Bruno.
As state senator, McDonald will represent the 43rd Senate District which encompasses parts of Saratoga County and all of Rensselaer County. He will do so in the first Democrat controlled senate in 44 years and one of the worst financial crises in the state's history.
McDonald, a former state assemblyman, announced his intentions to run in July shortly after Bruno announced his retirement. He was endorsed by Bruno to fill the senate seat and did so by easily defeating Mike Russo, district director of U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, for the seat.
McDonald was sworn in at Hudson Valley Community College where he received his Associate Degree in 1967 before going on to receive his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees at the State University of New York at Oneonta.

Missing man found dead
A missing Malta man was found dead near his home Friday, Dec. 26 after a search party discovered his body in a wooded area.
Bradley A. Hurst, 42, was found dead by a forest ranger in a wooded area near his 79 Knapp Road residence. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The search for Hurst was part of an extensive air and ground search operation conducted by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police Aviation, New York State Park Police, Round Lake Fire Department, Northeast Mobile Search and Rescue Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue and the New York State Forest Rangers.
Hurst was last heard from on Dec. 19. He left all his personal identification in his home and vehicle. Police said he had a history of mental illness.
Hurst's body was found by Forest Ranger Anthony Goetke.

CDTA approves fare hike
Motorists aren't the ones currently facing a rise in the transportation costs, but those who use the Capital District Transportation Authority's bus system are.
CDTA officials recently announced a 50-cent base fare hike that will take effect in April. It will be the first fare increase on CDTA buses in 13 years. The current base fare that is $1 will be raised to $1.50.
The fare increase was approved in a unanimous vote by CDTA officials on Tuesday, Dec. 23 as part of a plan to eliminate the $9 million budget deficit in 2009.
CDTA will also raise fares on day-cards, three day passes and swiper cards, including summer fun passes and passes for seniors and the disabled.
The board also approved raising the age of children who can ride for free with an adult from 5 years old and younger to six years old and younger.
CDTA officials also intend to consolidate routes, eliminate little-used routes, transfer $1.7 million from the company's reserve funds to its operating account, delay some capital projects and pursue internal cost-savings without reducing its staff in order to close the deficit's gap.
CDTA buses serve Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties and travel more than 7 million miles each year.
"The Capital Region depends on us to improve mobility, reduce pollution and improve access to jobs, all of which are essential to the economic vitality of the region," CDTA Executive Director Raymond Melleady said in a statement.

Stewart's Holiday Match Program donates $1.1M to local charities
Stewart's Shops' annual Holiday Match Program recently announced they will donate $1.1 million to charitable organizations in 2009.
The program runs between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day at each of Stewart's 326 stores. People donate money and then Stewart's matches their donations. This year customers donated $568,000, which totaled $1.1 million after Stewart's matched the amount. Last year, the company donated a total of $1.2 million.
The company distributes money based on how much was donated in each area. Saratoga County organizations received $156,914 from the program in 2008.
The program that benefits more than 1,100 local charities and organizations has donated more than $11 million since it was first created 22 years ago.
The purpose of the Holiday Match Program is to encourage individual giving and broaden the base of support for local charities. Stewart's accepts funds from groups or businesses, but only matches individual donations. They donate approximately 5 percent of profits to charity each year.

SPAC renovations on hold
State officials recently announced that the $2.5 million in renovations intended to take place at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center are currently on hold.
The amphitheater's current wood façade was planned to be replaced by a new tan colored façade that many people have compared to a stack of pancakes prior to the beginning of the 2009 season. However, plans for the new amphitheatre façade have been put on hold and will not be completed in 2009. Plans to replace the amphitheatre's ramp, railings and lights have also been put on hold, but will be completed sometime in the spring.

Arts Council names grant recipients
This week the Saratoga County Arts Council awarded nine schools grants for artistic residencies.
The winning funding is part of a grant called Arts in Education/Local Capacity Building Initiative Grant and is awarded to schools in an effort for them to integrate music, dance, visual arts, poetry and literature, theater, illustration and songwriting into the schools curriculum. In total, the organization handed out $16,800 to local schools.
Recipients will receive their grants at the annual awards ceremony to be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Wed. Jan. 28 at the Arts Center at 320 Broadway.
The winners are: Caroline St.  Elementary School ($1,650); Charlton Heights Elementary School ($2,000); Corinth Middle School ($2,000); Granville Elementary School ($2,000); Mechanicville Elementary School ($1,200); Moreau Elementary School ($2,000); Pashley Elementary School ($2,000); Salem Central School ($1,100); Saratoga Independent School ($840) and Stevens Elementary School ($2,000).

Lawsuit against school district dismissed
A lawsuit brought against the Ballston Spa Central School District has been dismissed by a state appeals court.
The case alleges that a fifth grade girl playing one-hand touch football at recess and a fellow teammate both running toward the same opponent collided on the field. The teammate's head hit the girl in the mouth knocking out three of her teeth and fracturing a fourth. The girl's mother, Lenore Bellinger, sued the school district for negligent supervision of her child.
However, the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court ruled to dismiss the suit stating "the collision was spontaneous and accidental." It also went on to state that the accident could have happened just as easily playing a game of tag, basketball or any other sport or game in which children were running in different directions."

McGaughey to leave Wilton Town Board 
Wilton Town Board member Ian McGaughey has announced he will leave the position to pursue a business opportunity in Arizona and spend more time with his wife.
McGaughey, 38, ran unsuccessfully in November for the 112th Assembly District - losing to Republican Tony Jordan.
McGaughey's term was scheduled to end on Dec. 31, 2009. Town Board members will now vote to approve his replacement.