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Month: January 2016

Saratoga Casino & Raceway Will Have Morton's Steakhouse When New Hotel Opens This Year

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 29, 2017
steakhouse-hc.jpg

The new hotel at Saratoga Casino & Raceway is under construction and scheduled for opening
this summer. When it does, Morton’s The Steakhouse will be one of its restaurant choices.

Saratoga Casino and Raceway announced
that a Morton’s The Steakhouse will operate the
feature restaurant inside the casino’s $40 million
hotel expansion.

Both the hotel and Morton’s The Steakhouse
are on track to open for the summer of 2016,
casino officials said.

Morton’s The Steakhouse opened its first
restaurant in 1978. Its menu features USDA
prime-aged beef, fresh seafood and hand-picked
produce.

“We are proud to be able to offer our guests
‘the best steak anywhere’ right here in Saratoga
Springs,” said Tom Wiedmayer, general manager
of Saratoga Casino and Raceway. “Morton’s The
Steakhouse shares our core goal of providing
unique and special experiences to each and every
one of our guests and we couldn’t imagine a more
perfect fit for our property or our community.”

Read More

Cuomo: Increase In 'Taste NY' Events Boosted Sales Of NY State-Made Food And Beverages

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 29, 2017

Taste NY events in 2015 helped triple gross
sales of participating vendors in 2015, including
its presence at Saratoga Race Course, according
to the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

In less than one year, total gross sales of New
York products from Taste NY events and stores
jumped from approximately $1.5 million in 2014
to over $4.5 million today, according to the state.

“The momentum behind Taste NY continues
and is helping to expand New York’s thriving
food and beverage industry faster than anyone
thought possible,” Cuomo said. “I’m proud that
our ambitious sales goal has been reached and
that these efforts are helping to create jobs, support
farmers and small businesses, and get the
word out about the world-class products made
right here in New York.”

Last year, Cuomo called for the further
development of Taste NY in order to continue
strengthening New York’s growing food and
beverage industry. The plan added four new
Taste NY stores, increased marketing opportunities,
established several new partnerships and
strengthened connections to consumers across
the globe, officials said.

Read More

KeyBank Will Keep Mortgage Operations In Buffalo After Purchasing First Niagara Financial

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 8, 2017

KeyBank, in the process of purchasing First
Niagara Financial Group announced in December
it plans to keep mortgage operations in Buffalo
where First Niagara Bank is based.

KeyBank, a wholly owned subsidiary of KeyCorp, with various offices in Saratoga County,
said it will leverage and expand First Niagara
Bank’s mortgage capabilities as it completes
First Niagara’s merger into Key.

Officials said that although it is too soon to
know exactly how many jobs the Buffalo mortgage
operations will entail, it is anticipated that
initially approximately 300 employees will be
needed to ensure all functions are covered.

KeyCorp and First Niagara Financial Group
announced on Oct. 30, 2015, an agreement for
Key to purchase the Buffalo-based bank, subject
to shareholder and regulatory approvals. Key
recently announced a plan to bring its currently
outsourced mortgage fulfillment operations into
the organization. The scope of the project will
now leverage First Niagara’s servicing platform
systems and expertise after the merger occurs.

Read More

Integrative Vision Therapy Owners See Eye Problems As A Factor In Learning Disorders

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016May 11, 2023
vision-hc.jpg

Dr. Howard Kushner and Sherry Sherlock operate Integrative Vision Therapy in Saratoga Springs,
specializing in behavioral optometry and how improved vision can enhance a person’s abilities.

BY LIZ WITBECK

With many children in the United States struggling
academically, parents are looking for answers
to help their children. Academic struggles and
learning disorders are frequently linked to vision
problems, according to Dr. Howard Kushner and
Sherry Sherlock, who operate Integrative Vision
Therapy in Saratoga Springs.

As vision therapists, they specialize in behavioral
optometry and how improved vision can
enhance a person’s abilities in the classroom,
workplace, and life.

“Eighty to 94 percent of students who struggle
have vision issues,” said Dr. Kushner. “Many
children receive occupational therapy, physical
therapy. But they won’t progress if there is a vision
problem.”

Integrative Vision Therapy relocated in August
from offices in Clifton Park to Saratoga Springs.
They are now located at 3 Franklin Square, on
the first floor.

Read More

People Can Get Help Addressing Healthy New Year's Resolution At Custom Fitness In Malta

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 29, 2017
custom fitness hc.jpg

Jeannie Barbero, right, and Sarah Currier of Custom Fitness in Gansevoort keep the facility
open around the clock so people working odd shifts or those with busy schedules can have access.

BY LIZ WITBECK

Becoming physically fit is a popular New Year’s
resolution. For those looking to get back into shape,
Custom Fitness Gym offers many options.

The facility is located at 23 Northern Pines Road,
Suite 1101, in Gansevoort.

Owner Sarah Currier has been attending exercise
classes for several years. Co-owner Jeanie Barbera
was operating a small studio in Wilton, which
had personal training and classes available. The
two came together to create Custom Fitness Gym.

“I taught here and I taught there. I wanted to
focus my energy” in one spot, said Currier. “Jeanie
and I understand each other and we have the same
ideas. I wanted to embrace our two forces into one.”

Read More

Business Report: Darwinism And Business Taxes

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 8, 2017
saxbst column - jim cole c.jpg
James W. Cole is a tax partner with SaxBST, an accounting, tax and financial services firm.

BY JAMES W. COLE, CPA

According to Wikipedia, Darwinism is the
theory of biological evolution stating that all
species arise and develop through the natural
selection of small inherited variations that
increase the organism’s ability to compete,
survive and reproduce. In nature this plays
out over long periods, often with small incremental
changes.

In today’s business and tax world, these
changes happen rapidly and “natural selection”
is driven by innovation, global competition,
the political process and, ideally, by
well-informed conscious choice rather than
transmutation.

Most businesses today are no longer bound
by small geographical constraints. You can
invent the better mousetrap in your garage
today and be selling it across the country and
possibly the world next month thanks to the
internet and global shipping. And it is even
easier for many IT based businesses that can
avoid shipping altogether. This provides both
opportunity for success, as well as competitive
risk to be beaten by someone, somewhere who
can build it faster and/or cheaper.

So how does all of this “evolution” play out
in the business tax world?

Read More

Business Report: Is 2016 Open For Business?

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 8, 2017
michael billok c.jpg

Michael Billok is a member of Bond,
Schoeneck & King’s Albany office.

BY MICHAEL BILLOK

Like time, the regulatory landscape never stops
moving. To that end, a key question on employers’
minds is this: What new laws and regulations are
going into effect in 2016, and how will they affect
my business?

New Overtime Exemption Rules

In July of 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor
(USDOL) proposed sweeping changes to
the overtime rules, such that millions of fewer
employees would be exempt from overtime. Currently
under federal law, in order to be exempt
from overtime under the executive, professional
or administrative employee exemptions, an employee
must earn at least $455 per week. (State
law requires minimum amounts of $675 per week
for executive and administrative employees).

Under the proposed new rule, those employees
would need to earn at least $970 per week in
order to still be exempt from the requirement
to pay them overtime for any time worked over
40 hours in a week. According to the USDOL’s
rulemaking schedule, the final rule should be
issued by July 2016. Once this rule goes into
effect, millions of employees that were earning
between $23,660 and $50,440 annually and were
previously exempt, will suddenly be subject to
overtime requirements.

New Injury and Illness Reporting Rules

In November of 2013, the U.S. Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed
rules that would drastically change how
employers track and report their injuries and
illnesses. This new rule is set to go into effect soon
as well, as OSHA has stated it intends to publish
the final rule in March of 2016. Currently employers
post annually, but do not submit, the OSHA
Form 300A that contains reportable injuries and
illnesses incurred over the past year.

Read More

Economic Outlook 2016 – Dhianna Yezzi

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 8, 2017
dhianna yezzi-4x5.jpg
Dhianna Yezzi, owner, Integrated Staffing, Saratoga Springs.

BY DHIANNA YEZZI

As 2016 rolls in, it’s a time to take stock and
review the labor market, jobs and where the employment
trends will be focused. We continue to
see slow growth with an average of 100,000 jobs
created monthly.

The great news: It’s a strong job market. The
strongest in at least a decade. The Labor Department
predicts that all job losses from the Great
Recession will be fully recovered by 2020 and
that the labor force will return to full employment
with a 4-5 percent unemployment rate.
This is coupled with an average wage increase of
at least 2.5-2.8 percent. Until this point, jobs have
increased but wages have remained stagnant.
Employees are finally reaping the benefits after
a largely employer based recovery.

The fastest growing jobs are still in IT, healthcare
and financial services. As baby boomers age
out of the job market, those skills that service and
aging demographic will continue to grow.

Of course, social media will continue to drive
recruitment, as the market tightens for qualified
candidates, firms will rely more on passive
recruitment through referral bonuses, Linked-In
and Facebook. The gig economy will play a bigger
role in employment, offset by the rise of freelancing
and more effective technology. In fact, by
2020, 40 percent of the employment population
will be in a gig role as evidenced by the over 1
million Uber drivers.

Read More

Economic Outlook 2016 – Barry Potoker

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 8, 2017
barry potoker c.jpg
Barry Potoker, executive director, Saratoga Builders Association.

BY BARRY POTOKER

As always, I am optimistic and bullish on the
future, especially since we live in such a special
place. We are still in the midst of a recovery but
I will start off with some good news from this
past year in the housing and real estate markets.

According to the Greater Capital Association
of Realtors from January to November, the number
of closed home sales increased by 10 percent
over the same period in 2014 and pending sales
contracts in November were 19 percent higher
as compared with November 2014.

On a national level, according to the National
Association of Realtors, existing residential home
sales continue to be strong. The smaller part
of the market, new home sales is also positive
although new home construction isn’t keeping
up with the demand. Based on recently released
housing stats from the federal Department of
Housing and Urban Development, the new housing
market is on its way back and continues its
steady recovery. The annual rate of November
housing starts rose 10.5 percent from October.
This is a terrific sign and above expectations.

Read More

Economic Outlook 2016 – Stephen Kyne

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016November 8, 2017
steve kyne c.jpg
Stephen Kyne, partner, Sterling Manor Financial LLC.

BY STEPHEN KYNE

The U.S. stock indices have flipped between positive
and negative returns a record 27 times this year.

The year 2015 was a particularly crazy year. From
extreme weather patterns, domestic and foreign
terrorism, and a circus of a pending presidential
election (which is only just beginning), to our first
horse racing Triple Crown winner in 37 years (who
suffered his only 2015 defeat in front of many of our
eyes at Saratoga Race Course), why should the stock
market have been any more predictable?

Let’s take a look at how 2015 shook out, and
where we’re headed in the 2016 economy.

U.S. GDP grew roughly as expected this year,
with final annual figures increasing between 2.5-3
percent. We expect that this relatively slow growth
will continue into 2016. While this is not ideal,
and certainly below historical averages, growth is
growth however you slice it.

Read More

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