Equestricon, a first-ever international horse racing convention and industry trade show coming to Saratoga Springs in the summer, will feature more than 45 panels, discussions, events, celebrity appearances, book signings and additional programming.

Equestricon, scheduled for Aug. 13-15 at Saratoga Springs City Center, is being crafted to the interests of fans at all levels of the sport. Officials announced in December an initial sampling of entertainment, discussion topics and seminars for Equestricon 2017.

A sampling of panels and special sessions includes:

Stewart’s Shops’ 2016 Holiday Match program set a record for the third consecutive season, raising over $1.85 million for local children’s organizations, the company said.

From Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day, Stewart’s customers donated over $926,000 to the program, which is an approximate $56,000 increase over last season, officials said.

Each individual donation is matched penny for penny by Stewart’s Shops. There are no administrative costs and 100 percent of the funds benefit local, nonprofit children’s organizations.

“We are impressed by our customers’ generosity season after season. They have joined us in supporting local children’s charities for 30 years now, raising more than $24 million,” said company President Gary Dake. “We are giving back to our communities that have given so much to us.”

With two transactions announced on Dec. 20, American Natural Gas (ANG), a distributor of alternative motor fuels in Saratoga Springs, has acquired two companies that add 18 compressed natural gas fueling stations to the company.

ANG is a portfolio company within HC2 Holdings. It has acquired Questar Fueling Co.  a subsidiary of Questar Corp. including its 11 compressed natural gas fueling stations in Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Utah, California, and Colorado.

It also acquired Constellation CNG LLC, formerly a subsidiary of Constellation, adding seven compressed natural gas fueling stations in Indiana and Ohio.

New York state has funding to help fruit and vegetable farmers join the New York State Grown & Certified program. Some $1.5 million is available through the Environmental Protection Fund to help farms implement an agricultural environmental management plan and a reimbursement of up to $1,000 is available for growers who participate in a...

Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is coordinating a strategic assessment of energy use in the Capital Region corridor from eastern Albany north through Saratoga County to Warren and Washington counties.

Increased demand for electricity and natural gas have contributed to the price fluctuations affecting diverse employers’ competitiveness and consumer rates, including small and larger businesses as well as institutional users, SEDC officials said.

“We are focused on keeping our region competitive so we retain businesses and attract investment to drive future job growth,” said Dennis Brobston, SEDC president. “In large part due to the region’s recent economic development successes, increased demand for electricity and natural gas has resulted in our area, especially the zone north through Saratoga County. Large and small businesses have flagged energy cost as a concern.