After almost 50 years, SUNY Empire State College has an official mascot.
After a month-long, online campaign that resulted in a total of 9,922 votes cast, Blue, the Bluebird, beat out its competition and will represent the SUNY Empire community.
Officials said faculty, staff, students, and alumni submitted more than 180 mascot concepts for consideration this past fall. The submissions were evaluated by a committee representing a cross-section of the college community, and three were selected as finalists: Blue the Bluebird, Cam the Chameleon, and Van the Vanguard.

Regan Development has plans to transform the former Victory Mills, a five-story, 230,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that closed nearly two decades ago, into 186 residential apartment units and a commercial microbrewery.
The building is in the Village of Victory Mills in the northeast part of the town of Saratoga, southwest of Schuylerville.
The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership, involved in the project, calls it one of the largest economic development initiatives in the past decade in Saratoga County; a $60 million project that will breathe new life into a long-vacant industrial building.
A Westchester County-based entity that specializes in redevelopment projects, Regan Development has done other projects in the area and has a portfolio that includes more than $384 million in new construction and adaptive reuse projects.

By State Sen. Jim Tedisco
“I love New York” is New York’s slogan.
Unfortunately, too many people are saying “I’m leaving New York!”
The millions who have fled our state and those who are now contemplating their exodus to a more taxpayer-friendly state have one thing in common: No one wants to be the last one left in New York to pay for our state’s overzealous taxes, regulations, mandates and laws.
New York’s motto is “Excelsior” or “ever upward.” It should not signify “ever-higher taxes.”
While there’s been some positive changes, such as the success of the tax cap in holding the line on property tax increases, I’m not going to sugarcoat it and say everything’s coming up roses.
By any reasonable metric, New York state and Upstate New York is economically struggling. Consider these startling statistics:
The Empire State is ranked number one in the nation for highest tax burden.
New York is ranked 50th in the nation for “Tax Freedom Day” (May 3) when taxpayers symbolically pay off all their tax obligations on the federal, state and local levels and start pocketing their hard-earned money.

Kevin Hedley, owner of Hedley & Co. in Clifton Park, is the chairman of the board of directors of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce for 2020.
He will serve as both the chairman of the 27-member board and the Executive Board.
Hedley was chair-elect of the board in 2019, and was the organization’s treasurer, in 2017. He was first elected to serve on the board of in 2014.
Joining Hedley on the Chamber’s Executive Board in 2020 are: Theresa Agresta, of Allegory Studios and CultureTalk, in Wilton, immediate past chair; Skip Carlson, of the Saratoga Casino Hotel in Saratoga Springs, chair-elect; Tara Pleat, of Wicenski & Pleat in Clifton Park, vice chair; and Amy Smith of Saratoga Arms Hotel in Saratoga Springs, secretary and treasurer.
The Chamber will celebrate its 102nd year at its 2020 annual dinner on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 6-9:30 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs City Center. Officials said nearly 1,000 people are expected to attend
The evening will start with a cocktail reception from 6-6:45 p.m., followed by the program running from 7-7:30 p.m. Dinner will immediately follow, along with networking with local business leaders. Dinner will be provided by Mazzone Hospitality.

Marc C. Conner, provost of Washington and Lee University, innovative leader of interdisciplinary academic programs and longtime advocate of diversity and inclusion, has been named the eighth president of Skidmore College.
His term will begin July 1, 2020.
Conner will succeed Philip Glotzbach, who will retire at the end of June 2020.
“I have deep respect for what Skidmore has achieved as a model of an excellent liberal arts education, and I am tremendously excited to be part of its future,” Conner said. “The College has positioned itself in an enviable place of growth and strength. It has become more diverse. It has increased its endowment. It has become more selective. My role coming in is to put myself in service of Skidmore’s admirable mission of preparing students for lifelong learning and fulfillment.”
Conner, a widely published professor of English, has served as provost of Washington and Lee University, a private liberal arts university in Lexington, Virginia, since January 2016. As chief academic officer, he has led the university in reaffirmation of its accreditation, co-chaired its strategic planning process and overseen the revitalization of its law school.

The Saratoga Builders Association recently presented two checks totaling $51,000 to Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties.
The money came from the proceeds of the 2019 Saratoga Showcase of Homes.
The Saratoga Builders Association has now contributed over $1.2 million to local charities from Showcase of Homes.
The 2019 edition, which concluded its 24th year, featured nine award-winning builders presenting 10 homes.
Last year’s tour had over 3,000 visitors touring homes on display over three weekends, the Builders Association said.