Jake Van Ness, Author at Saratoga Business Journal

Jake Van Ness

1919 Articles

NY State Of Health Will Open Enrollment Period For Health Marketplace On Nov. 16

October 17, 2021

NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, have announced the affordable health insurance options available to New Yorkers in 2022.

Open enrollment for coverage in a 2022 Qualified Health Plan starts Nov. 16 for new and returning consumers and ends on Jan.31.

“Marketplace enrollment has topped 6.3 million people this year as more New Yorkers choose to protect themselves and their families with affordable, quality coverage during the COVID-19 public health emergency,” said Acting NY State of Health Executive Director Danielle Holahan. “Consumers can begin previewing their 2022 plan options and premiums today through NY State of Health’s plan shopping tool.”

Significantly, officials said, expanded federal tax credits remain available to New Yorkers who enroll in Qualified Health Plans (QHP.) This enhanced American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) financial assistance is available now, including to higher-income individuals for the first time. Consumers who receive premium tax credits, more than 60 percent of QHP enrollees, will see no change in their premium costs for 2022, or in some cases a small decrease in the cost of coverage compared to 2021.

According to the Health Department, one in three New Yorkers are enrolled in health coverage through the Marketplace. Enrollment has increased across all marketplace programs since April 2021, when the state began implementing ARPA tax credit and Essential Plan (EP) enhancements.

All 12 insurers that offered Qualified Health Plans last year will offer them again in 2022. Consumers who enroll in a QHP between Nov. 16 and Dec. 15 will have coverage starting Jan. 1.

Jesse Peters’ Jessecology Business Is Taking Orders For Native Plant and Wildflower Seeds

October 17, 2021

Jesse Peters has been growing plants from seed for wholesale use and do-it-yourself gardeners.
©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

By Susan Elise Campbell

She didn’t realize it at the time, but when Jesse Peters was invited to bid on a local airport habitat restoration project, her sustainable landscape business, Jessecology, would soon take off in a new direction.

Jessecology grows and sells thousands of native plants annually to civil engineers and construction companies for projects like roadside, highway median, post-construction and municipal landscaping.

“I didn’t win the bid on the plant piece of the project, but it was illuminating to me how great a need there is for propagating seeds of native plants for projects like these,” said Peters, an ecologist now in her 16th year of business.

Peters has been growing plants from seed for 10 years for wholesale use and do-it-yourself gardeners. But she said harvesting seeds for resale “was basically a hobby until that project for 90 acres shed light on the need.”

Any surplus she had in the past she typically donated to organic farms in the area to sow native plants around the fields.

“The wildflowers help bring in more pollinators to the farms and improve their crops,” she said.

‘518 Donuts’ In Clifton Park Will Feature Sweets Plus Tasty Fried Chicken Meals

October 17, 2021

Sam Clifford is one of the three owners of 518 Donuts at 7 Southside Drive in Clifton Park. The business has fresh doughnuts and will also specialize in fried chick dishes.
©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

By Jennifer Farnsworth

A new doughnut shop, 518 Donuts, has opened in Clifton Park.

This one will combine doughnuts with speciality fried chicken.

Glenn Babinueau, Joseph Carl, and Sam Clifford officially opened the doors to 518 Donuts at 7 Southside Drive in Clifton Park and business has been good.

“Day one, there was a line all the way down the sidewalk waiting for the doors to open,” said Clifford.

He said all three owners have roots in Troy, where they were in the process of opening what was set to be their flagship shop. But they took one look at The Shops at Village Plaza and decided they would plan for locations in both Clifton Park and Troy.

“We basically walked in and said,’We will take it.’ We knew we had to move quickly on it,” said Clifford.

CDTA Extends Its FLEX Bus Service To Riders In The Southern Saratoga County Area

October 17, 2021

The CDTA FLEX service, an on-demand, app-based program, became available in the Mechanicville, Halfmoon and Clifton Park areas as of Sept. 20.
Courtesy CDTA

CDTA has expanded its FLEX service to the Southern Saratoga County region.

The on-demand, app-based service became available in the Mechanicville, Halfmoon and Clifton Park areas as of Sept. 20.

“It is our mission to create connections and seamless transportation options throughout the Capital Region,” said Carm Basile, CDTA chief executive officer, in a press release. “Now with the addition of Mechanicville Halfmoon and Clifton Park, we have expanded our route network and increased access and opportunity for thousands of residents.”

CDTA first introduced FLEX to the Capital Region in January of 2020 and allows customers to enjoy curb-to-curb service within specified zones by downloading the free TransLoc App and requesting a ride or by calling CDTA.

The program also operates in Colonie, Guilderland, Latham and at the UAlbany Uptown Campus. This service is also offered to Albany Medical Center, Albany International Airport, and University at Albany as part of a Universal Access agreement.

The Southern Saratoga County FLEX service will operate free of charge during the initial pilot period. It operates from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

‘Self-Care’ Parties In the Wake Of COVID-19 Pandemic Provided By ‘Refresh’ Company

October 17, 2021

A new business has launched in Saratoga Springs offering what it calls post-pandemic self-care parties to nourish and rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.

It’s called Refresh. And its goal is to offer a wellness-centered option for bachelorette parties, baby showers, women’s retreats, corporate retreats, and rites of passage such as milestone birthday parties.

Diane Palma, a Reiki II practitioner and New York state and Florida licensed cosmetologist, founded the business. She has a masters’ degree in community counseling. She is certified by the National Wellness Institute in Workplace Wellness and worked for 10 years as a mental health clinical evaluator at Four Winds Saratoga.

“Since 2013 I have been consciously transforming my life,” said Palma. “As a single parent of one college graduate and one college student, I also wanted to re-launch myself. So I sold my house and quit my job of 21 years at Jean Paul Salon &Spa and moved to Saratoga Springs.”

She continues to work as a freelance hair and makeup artist and offers services at Lockettes The Salon in Ballston Spa.

“My purpose for moving to this area was my natural attraction to the healing mineral springs. I immersed myself in the Saratoga Integrative Practitioners Network (SIPN) which opened so many doors for my personal development, self-discovery, and growth,” Palma said. “Now I would like to share the practices with others to educate them about self-care and mental health.”

Volunteers Sought To Help Operate Special Olympic Events In And Around Glens Falls

October 17, 2021

Special Olympics New York is seeking 200 volunteers for its upcoming State Fall Games, which will be held in and around Glens Falls Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23.

Volunteers must be vaccinated and registered in advance. No sports experience is necessary. Volunteers will be trained on site. People can register online at sonylive.nyso.org/pages/app/VAC.

Venue support includes set up, parking assistance, meal distribution, safety assurance, awards, and other specific venue needs.

Lunch, safety squad, and photo/video volunteers are needed at all venues. Safety Squad volunteers will ensure Special Olympics New York and venue COVID-19 protocols are being followed, and will disinfect areas and equipment in between use.

Special Olympics New York 2021 State Fall Games is sponsored by Warren County/Visit Lake George, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Mohawk Honda/Chevrolet, NYSID, SEFCU, Adirondack Oral Health, Albany Medical Center, Glens Falls National Bank, Hannaford, NBT Bank, Price Chopper/Market 32, Queensbury Hotel, and Quick Response.

Area Training And Events Sports Complex Adds Outdoor, Lighted Basketball Courts

October 17, 2021

Golden Goal Sports Park is a 196-acre sports complex designed in the style of an Olympic Village, used by local teams and athletes. It recently installed two lighted outdoor basketball courts.
Courtesy Golden Goal Sports Park

By Lisa Balschunat

Golden Goal Sports Park recently installed two lighted outdoor basketball courts to its complex in Fort Ann, with pickleball courts next on the facility’s installation agenda.

In operation for 15 years, Golden Goal is a 196-acre sports complex designed in the style of an Olympic Village. The property at 495 Goodman Road touts eight outdoor fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and flag football, training, games and tournaments. Four fields are natural grass. Four are artificial turf.

According to Emmie Doin, facility director, the complex—promoted as the Northeast Premier Residential Sports Venue—offers practice times, sports retreats, tournaments, a college internship program, and has 25 cabins that can sleep up to 400 people. Field rentals are available for professional organizations, clubs, colleges, academies, high schools and travel teams.

“Golden Goal gives young athletes a place to fine-tune their skills, compete in games and tournaments, and train outdoors,” she said.

Players, team staff and chaperones can participate in 2-day to 7-day programs that include meals and all of the amenities in the Athlete’s Village and staff lounge.

“The Athlete’s Village includes outdoor activities like spike ball, can jam and cornhole and indoor activities include ping pong, air hockey, televisions, Xboxes and PlayStations,” she said. “We also have a challenge course for athletes to work on their team building skills while having fun.” The course includes a 10-foot vertical wall and tire flips.

“It’s something that someone can do alone,” she noted, “but it’s designed to encourage a team to work together.”

Elle Salon Operating In New South Glens Falls Location With Room For More Services

October 17, 2021

Danielle Kresge is the owner of Elle Salon, which recently moved into new space at 113 Saratoga Ave., Soouth Glens Falls. She has expanded staff, which now totals 12.
©2021 SaratogaPhotographer.com

By Susan Elise Campbell

Ever since she could remember, Danielle Kresge wanted to run a hair salon and spa.

Half her dream was realized when she started Elle Salon three years ago in South Glens Falls. Now in her new location at 113 Saratoga Ave., Kresge has the room to add staff and services to give clients the full spa experience.

“At the other location, I had a good starting point to get my feet wet,” she said. “I’m actually surprised at how quickly we grew, and proud of it.”

Once she determined to move and expand, Kresge knew she would put her clients first. The location she found on Facebook was a brand new building in which she could picture clients “relaxing and enjoying themselves,” she said.

“The space is like an open canvas with white walls and high ceilings,” she said. “It has a clean, breezy, airy feeling.”

Since the move the first week of August, there have been a few new hires, bringing the staff to 12.

Business Has Been Good For Companies That Rent Out Office Space For Professionals

October 17, 2021

By Jennifer Farnsworth

The business of providing professionals with a functioning workspace outside of their home or office is a gowing one. While it may be something more and more people are seeking in the wake of COVID-19 and the unanticipated work from the home era, places like Saratoga CoWorks have actually been around for years.

Co-owner Dorothy Rogers-Bullis said her business first began in 2014, and has been thriving ever since.

“We have always been busy. The pandemic didn’t really seem to change that, however we do know that people don’t generally like to work from home. In business, it’s always better to be around others, other professionals, and that is what our business is known for, a place for professionals,” said Rogers-Bullis.

Saratoga CoWorks is a collaborative coworking space for entrepreneurs, professionals, freelancers and startups. They have two locations in Saratoga, with a third in the works. She said the business is not a coffee and hang out space, but instead it is a place known for an atmosphere tailored for those who are looking to get to work in a productive, supportive environment.

“Our goal is to meet the needs of those looking for a place to hold an important meeting, connect with another professional or even just to come in and work on an important deadline,” she said.

In Glens Falls, the work away from home and office workspace has found its way into a business owned by Christy Alexander.

Local Partnership Offers Computer Coding Education To Unemployed, Underemployed

October 17, 2021

SUNY Adirondack and SaratogaCanCode have joined forces to offer free computer coding education and training programs to serve unemployed and underemployed New York residents.

Funded through a state Department of Labor grant, the partnership will enable coding instruction in two popular courses—Front End Web Development and Python for Data Analytic —to serve up to 45 people starting Nov. 8.

SUNY Adirondack’s Workforce Readiness Academies Program (WRAP) provides free training opportunities for residents of New York state. Included in the program are customized services based on participant need, such as career coaching, academic advising, job-search skills, and accessing resources such as emergency child care and technology support.

The 12-week computer coding programs are offered virtually through SaratogaCanCode, which is part of CanCode Communities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a trained software workforce throughout upstate New York and beyond.

“We’re seeing such success with the summer cohort of students who are about to finish their IT boot camp training,” said Caelynn Prylo, Assistant Dean for Continuing Education and Workforce Innovation at SUNY Adirondack. “This program is truly transformational for the participants. With the workforce changes we’ve seen over the past year, more people than ever can benefit from this high-impact training program, expanding their skills and securing employment in a high-demand field and strengthen our region’s pool of trained, talented tech professionals.”