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Governor Cuomo: Capital Region Set To Enter Phase Two Of Reopening On June 3

Will Levith
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Governor Cuomo: Capital Region Set To Enter Phase Two Of Reopening On June 3

Everybody can start queuing up to make their hair appointments again—because phase two looks to be on its way this week.

In his June 1 press briefing, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said that the Capital Region was on track to begin phase two of its reopening on Wednesday, June 3, while Western New York would begin phase two the previous day. Five regions—Central New York, the North Country, Finger Lakes, the Southern Tier and the Mohawk Valley Regions—have already entered phase two.

This, of course, is all contingent on the county, regional, state and global experts all signing off on the data—which Cuomo emphasized could be a dealbreaker, if the numbers appeared not to be as positive as they were initially assumed to be.

Phase two includes the reopening of professional services, finance and insurance, retail, administrative support and real estate and rental leasing (for a full list, click here). The approximate time between each phase is two weeks, with phase three, including restaurants and food services and hotels and accommodations; and phase four, arts, entertainment, recreation and education.

It’s still unclear whether additional restrictions will be in place (or enforced) following the end of phase four.

Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma Training Track To Open To Essential Personnel On June 4

Will Levith
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Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma Training Track To Open To Essential Personnel On June 4

Yes, Saratoga Race Course is going to be opening without fans this summer. That much we know. But as far as the New York Racing Association (NYRA) is concerned, it’s still “business as usual” behind the scenes. On May 29 (today), NYRA announced that Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma Training Track, which had originally been scheduled to open on April 15, will finally open on Thursday, June 4. The barn area at the Oklahoma will open to horsemen two days prior.

Historically, the opening of the Oklahoma and its facilities across the street from the main racetrack marks the unofficial beginning to the Saratoga racing season. The Oklahoma, which first opened in 1904, features both dirt and turf track surfaces.

Sadly, this year, the Oklahoma will serve only as a tease to visitors, driving into Saratoga  along Union Avenue, as well as residents, as it and the Whitney Viewing Stand will be closed to both the public and horse owners. (It’s usually a popular tourist hub, as well as training track.) Access will be restricted to essential personnel duly licensed by NYRA and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC).

NYRA has implemented a comprehensive set of health and safety protocols designed to protect employees, horsemen, backstretch workers and the Saratoga community, while the training track is open. For example, all personnel working at the Oklahoma must test negative for the COVID-19 virus or test positive for its antibodies. This applies to both local workers, as well as those arriving from other regions. All personnel on the property will also be required to complete a daily health screening and temperature check conducted by trained EMTs. Additionally, face masks or coverings and adherence to strict social distancing measures will be mandatory at all times, and NYRA will provide all involved with the requisite masks and personal protective equipment.

At this point, the Saratoga summer meet is still scheduled to begin on July 16 and run through September 7. It’s unclear whether this date will be pushed back (or the training season shortened) based on the region’s reopening plan. Just yesterday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo delayed phase two for the first five regions able to reopen. Whether that delay will affect the Capital Region remains to be seen.

Governor Cuomo Gives Green Light To First Five Regions To Begin Phase Two Of Reopening (Updated)

Will Levith
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Governor Cuomo Gives Green Light To First Five Regions To Begin Phase Two Of Reopening (Updated)

Back on May 15, when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that Central New York, the North Country, Finger Lakes, the Southern Tier and the Mohawk Valley Regions were all set to begin the first phase of their reopening plan, it was assumed that two weeks later, those regions would begin phase two.

On May 28, Cuomo seemed to walk that statement back, telling WAMC’s Alan Chartock that: [When] the [phase one] reopening in the first five regions ends [on May 29]….we’ll give the experts all the data, let them analyze it, and if they say we should move forward, we’ll move forward.”

But all has come full circle in less than 24 hours. As of May 29, Cuomo noted in his daily press briefing that the county, regional, state and global experts had analyzed the data from the first five regions, and that they would, in fact, be entering into phase two as planned. “I feel confident that we can rely on this data, and the five regions that have been in phase one can now move to phase two, because their data has been reviewed, and the experts say to us it’s safe to move forward,” said Cuomo.

Phase two of the regional reopening plan includes professional services, finance and insurance, retail, administrative support, and real estate and rental leasing.

Hattie’s Will Be Reopening For Takeout/Delivery On May 29 With An Updated Menu

Jeff Dingler
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Hattie’s Will Be Reopening For Takeout/Delivery On May 29 With An Updated Menu

As the Capital Region began the first step of its phased reopening last week, a number of Saratoga restaurants followed suit, themselves reopening for takeout and/or delivery. The beginning of May saw the Spa City’s first round of restaurants, including Druthers, Seneca and Cantina, as well as Walt & Whitman, reopening after temporarily closing due to the COVID-19 crisis. Since then, other Saratoga-based restaurants have started offering pickup and delivery options, including Solevo Kitchen + Social and Wasabi. And, starting on Friday, May 29, Saratoga’s famous Southern fried chicken spot, Hattie’s, will reopen for curbside delivery and pickup.

“This whole thing has been very emotional,” says Beth Alexander, who co-owns Hattie’s with her husband Jasper, about having to shut down during the outbreak. “It’s just so good to be back with everyone [in the restaurant], but we have no idea what to expect.” Other Saratoga-based food businesses who will reopen with their own takeout menus in the near future will include Saratoga Coffee Traders, opening on Monday, June 1; Three Vines Bistro and Bar, opening June 2; and Spot Coffee, also opening in early June.

Hattie’s, which has storefronts on Phila Street in Downtown Saratoga and near the Wilton Mall, closed to pickup or delivery more than two months ago. Though the local restaurant hasn’t been serving any food in that time—with the exception of Hattie’s Crawfish Day on Memorial Day, served to-go this year—Alexander says that she and the staff have been concentrating on perfecting Hattie’s new takeout model. “Our downtown location is very well suited for the takeout format,” she says. “We’re offering curbside delivery and setting up a pickup spot in front of the restaurant so no customers will have to go inside.”

When it opens back up this Friday, the restaurant’s new to-go hours will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 4-8pm. Customers will be able to order by phone or online (Hattie’s is even implementing a new online ordering system to deal with the traffic). On the updated menu will be Hattie’s staple Southern entrees like fried chicken, jambalaya and “Jasper’s Mac and Cheese.” It’ll also be offering family-sized meals, like the Fried Chicken Family Pack (10 pieces of chicken, chef’s choice, served with mashed potatoes, green beans and biscuits); as well as some cocktails to-go, including pint and quart-sized mojitos, Hurricanes (light and dark rum with Hattie’s own special hurricane mix) and Back Porch Lemonade (Stoli Razberi vodka and house-made lemonade).

“If all goes well, we hope to open to dine-in by the end of June or early July,” says Alexander. “We’ve already started measuring tables and making sure everyone’s six feet apart in preparation for that.”

As for a summer without shows at SPAC or fans at Saratoga Race Course, Alexander says that she and other restaurant owners don’t really know what to expect. “People will look forward to getting out and sitting outside, but I don’t think we’ll see as many people as we’re used to,” she says. “The best we can do is to adapt to our changing industry and hope for the best.”

NYRA Should Consider Allowing Fans To Park Inside The Oval At Saratoga Race Course For A Drive-In Racing Experience This Summer (Opinion)

Will Levith
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NYRA Should Consider Allowing Fans To Park Inside The Oval At Saratoga Race Course For A Drive-In Racing Experience This Summer (Opinion)

Let me start off this opinion piece by stating the obvious fact of the matter: The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has already announced that Saratoga Race Course will open, but without fans this year. (This being in accordance with the governor’s mandate about “attractive nuisances.”) NYRA’s President and CEO David O’Rourke recently told the Times Union of this year’s track season: “It will obviously be quieter and there will be sadness mixed with joy. We have joy because we will be able to run the races, but it will be something we will never want to repeat.” Talk of a track-less summer has led to predictions of a fast-approaching economic tsunami, sure to lay waste to Saratoga’s and the region’s businesses, to the tune of more than $200 million in losses.

Not so fast. What if it didn’t have to be that way? What if we could still have a Saratoga summer to remember? I have a few ideas, some crazier than others. Let me start with the sanest ones.

If my math is correct, Saratoga should be through phase four of its reopening by July 15, just one day prior to the original start date of the 40-day track season. Even without fans roaming around the grounds of the track, some at the rail, some in the Grandstand or Clubhouse, others in the 1863 Club, I think our city can still sell residents and a trickle of outsiders—even a steady stream, as long as social distancing measures, face masks and crowd sizes are strictly enforced—on a virtual track experience. Once bars and restaurants reopen, that’ll open things up to allowing fans to have reduced capacity horse racing-themed parties around town, with live racing being beamed from Saratoga Race Course on big screens, and fans wagering on races via smartphone apps such as NYRA Bets, DRF, TwinSpires, Xpressbet and others. They can smoke their cigars, read their Daily Racing Forms and have a dandy old time.

If the above experience sounds vaguely familiar to some, it is, in fact, what thousands of horse racing fans do at Saratoga Race Course every summer anyway. They set up shop in the backyard area or at the Picnic Paddock, near the TVs, and watch the races from there. Some fans never even watch a single live race at the rail! They bet on their apps. They have a good time. Nothing really new about that, right? But what if some local business owners chipped in to up the ante on that experience a bit. For example, car dealerships—the ones with the biggest lots in town—could let groups of two or four racing fans into their parked, unsold cars, with the air-conditioning going; set up a big projector screen in a central location; and let people watch the races from there, drive-in movie style. (Some people might get so comfortable in said cars that they might even buy them and drive them off the lot.) The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) could also pitch in for the biggest races of the year—the Travers, the Whitney, the Alabama—and allow fans in parked cars to watch those races in a similar drive-in format in their massive parking lot. Hey, maybe one of those car dealerships could sponsor the event and bring along a few carloads of fans to show off their wares? Fans could also congregate in the safety of their closed vehicles at any number of outdoor drive-in movie theaters in the area; or at the number of empty fairgrounds. Any farmers in the area have fields that they’d be comfortable allowing racing fans to watch the races on? (Of course, we’d pay for our time.) Cars could be parked in the field, and a large screen could be set up to watch the races there. Hell, Saratoga could even shut down Broadway, à la the Victorian Streetwalk, for several hours on Travers Day, and people could watch the race in the middle of the street. Sound like it could work with a little creativity and pre-planning? I think it could.

Now, let me take that concept a step further—into la-la land, for some—but a step further no less. What if NYRA, with the blessing of Governor Andrew Cuomo, partnered with the City of Saratoga to shut down the strip of Union Avenue, just off of Exit 14, in front of Saratoga Race Course during previously designated hours of the day—say, in the early morning (around the time breakfast at the track used to take place) or closer to the evening (when the featured races run)? The city could block off incoming traffic, setting up a temporary detour down Henning Road, allowing cars with a maximum of say, four racing fans inside each to park, side by side, along the Oklahoma Training Track side of the road to “watch” the morning workouts or featured races on a portable projector screen on the track or Union Ave. side of the fence. (That would be up to NYRA to sort out before July 16.) And on a daily basis, throughout the season, NYRA could offer, through a special lottery system—with all of the COVID-19 testing protocols carefully monitored for participants (temperature-taking, etc.)—50-100 cars full of four racing fans each to park inside and around the racing oval; alongside the empty Grandstand; or along the final stretch, where the tents used to be set up, to watch the races from the comfort and safety of their air-conditioned vehicles. Just like I suggested in my SPAC/parking lot opinion piece, cars would be charged a flat rate (say, $300) and SUVs or vans more (say, $500) because of the space they take up, and racing would still be able to be enjoyed every day for 40 days. It would be the hottest ticket in town.

Some might brush off these ideas as pie-in-sky. But let me remind you that we were all given just a few days to plan to all work from home, and we figured out a way of doing it. And we were given even less time to pivot to wearing face masks in public and socially distance from one another—even from the ones we love—and the majority of us complied. Instead of preemptively sounding the alarm that this is going to be the worst summer in Saratoga history, why not make it the best?

Job Hunters: Get Hired As A Social Media Specialist, Blog Editor Or Director Of Community Administration

Will Levith
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Job Hunters: Get Hired As A Social Media Specialist, Blog Editor Or Director Of Community Administration

I can’t believe I’m writing these words right now, but as of this Job Hunters column, the Capital Region has already been open again for about a week. Of course, phase one only includes construction, manufacturing and wholesale supply chain businesses; curbside pickup for retail shops; and agriculture, forestry and fishing, but it’s a start. And hopefully, the ramping up of construction, manufacturing and retail will grease the economy’s wheels a bit. We’ll have to wait until phase three and four for the “good stuff” to reopen—the restaurants, bars and entertainment venues—but the waiting will make it that much more sweet.

I wish I had better news about the unemployment numbers. While they appear to be stabilizing at this point, they’re still horrendous, and it appears that we’re likely not out of the weeds just yet, even as employers begin thinking about refilling positions that may have been vacated during the first wave of layoffs. But that doesn’t mean there’s any need to despair: There’s still quite a lot of jobs to apply to out there, both locally and nationally (remote).

In the meantime, you must be that much more shrewd of a job hunter, keeping your eyes on the prize and being even more aggressive in your hunt. Make sure there are no stones left unturned and that you’re not wasting time applying for jobs you’re unqualified for. Also, be sure that some of the time you’re spending is on “table-setting,” in other words, polishing your résumé, writing down possible interview questions you could be asked by (or ask of) a potential employer and updating your LinkedIn page. And, if you’re a rising senior in high school or a graduating senior in college, be careful about what is on your Facebook or other social media pages: If one of the photos there is you upside down, doing a keg stand at the last (frat) house party you attended before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, that’s not a good look for a future employer. Assume that an employer will be checking out your public social media pages before offering you a job. It’s almost a given these days.

Local Job Opportunities

Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Social Media Specialist
So, maybe you spend a little too much time on social media. And maybe your parents give you hell about it. Well, the best form of revenge is to get a paying job actually doing it for a living. The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH), located in Menands (just outside of Albany), is looking for a full-time Social Media Specialist, who will be working on Project Hope, a Crisis Counseling Program funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), administered by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) through its Substance Abuse and Mental Hygiene Services Administration (SAMHSA), and operated by the New York State Office of Mental Health in conjunction with RFMH. Be aware that the position has only been funded through June 19, 2020, but it’s expected to be extended through April 2021. Expected salary: $70,000/year. Also good? It only requires two years of experience. So, if you had a pre-COVID internship in college and did any social media marketing, you could easily qualify for the position. Look for it on Indeed or find it on the foundation’s jobs page.

Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Contact Tracer
Yes, the Capital Region reached the threshold for the amount of contact tracers it needed to reopen, but that shouldn’t keep you from joining the army of tracers that are helping make New York State safe for months (and years) to come. No, you don’t need to come into contact with somebody who has COVID-19 to do the job right. Apply for the position here.

Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Management Level
Industrial giant Siemens is looking for a seasoned Consulting Manager for its Energy Management Division, “who will be responsible for leading and motivating a team of consulting engineers in the implementation and delivering cutting-edge power systems analytics and engineering,” per the job posting. In other words, you need to be able to eat, drink and sleep “engineer.” It shouldn’t be at all surprising that the job is located in the Electric City (a.k.a. Schenectady)—but it does sound as though it requires a fair amount of traveling, so if that’s not your cup of tea (especially now), you should put good thought into that aspect of the role. Either way, this is no position for Boy/Girl Scouts: You’ll need at least 10-plus years of experience successfully working in the power engineering and/or consulting business. Search for the position on LinkedIn Jobs or find it on Siemens careers page.

National/Remote Work Opportunities

Cool Job Opportunity (National/Remote) – Digital Editor
If you’re out of your mind, you’re a psychopath. If all you do is bike around everywhere, then you’re a cyclepath. (Wow, that was a bad pun.) The UK-headquartered, US-based cycling-centric website, cyclingnews.com, is looking for an Editor to work closely with its Editor in Chief, Daniel Benson, writing news stories, conducting interviews and producing content for the website, which is looking to grow. You’d be an extra special candidate if you (a) spoke a second language, (b) had knowledge of women’s cycling and (c) could write about technical biking knowledge in a way that didn’t make you sound like a squeaky wheel. Plus, if you’re not a cycler, your résumé will quickly be cycled out of the running. (I can’t help myself.) Seek out the position on LinkedIn Jobs.

Cool Job Opportunity (National/Remote) – Director Level
Are you a digital native who has a BA in social work, planning, public policy or government, with at least five years experience leading a team? You could be perfect for Bitfocus’ Director of Community Administration position. The company, which brings ideas, technology and services together to help communities build more collaborative, effective and efficient systems of care, is looking for someone to work directly with clients and help strengthen Bitfocus’ internal community through mentoring and training employees. You’ll be managing four or five direct reports, too, so you better be a people person. Search for the position on Glassdoor, or find it on the company’s careers page.

Cool Job Opportunity (Local) – Blog Editor
Remember the jerk down the hallway from you in college who always used to joke that you were going to be flipping burgers for a living with your English degree? Now’s the chance to tell him off. Toptal, a fully remote, global company that provides a freelancing platform connecting businesses with software engineers, designers and business consultants, is looking for a Design Blog Editor, who will be tasked with editing, curating and writing articles about design. You’ll need, at minimum, three years experience, and be willing to work on deadline-driven projects. Find the position on LinkedIn Jobs or apply the company’s website.

Job, Business and Volunteering Resources

A Seat at the Vege-table
Trying to grow green beans in your apartment and getting stuck with the lack of natural light? Try grabbing a plot in one of the Capital Roots‘ 55 community gardens throughout the Capital Region (it has some 900 plots available). Capital Roots isn’t just about getting people out there gardening, though: The nonprofit serves the ultimate purpose of providing every person in the region access to fresh, affordable, healthy food—especially those in underserved communities. Soon enough you’ll be saying, “Bean there, done that.” Learn more about how you can garden, help out or donate here.

Cool Resources for Kids

Old School, Best School
We put out the call for new kid-related educational tools (call this “Summer Vacation 2.0”), and one of our mom friends in the Saratoga community answered, offering up two old-school gems, which have long since been transferred from floppy disk to digital download/website—and might just give you the window of opportunity you need to get that résumé updated or a first draft of that cover letter written. Get your child set up with modern classics Lemonade Stand (1979) or Oregon Trail (1971), and it could lead to hours of silence, followed by a wonderfully awkward conversation about how mommy or daddy once played this for school credit in between Home Economics and History classes. (This might also be a cool diversion for you after hours, too!)

Cool Diversions

Rollor Derby
Three year ago, I interviewed military veteran Matt Butler, who’d done tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, about the backyard game he invented while deployed in the sandbox called Rollors, which combines the fun of horseshoes, bocce ball and bowling. It’s a perfect warm-weather game, especially right now, given that you have to be completely socially distanced—15-20 feet away, to be exact—from the other team you’re playing against. Plus, you can play it on the beach, on your own lawn or the driveway. Anywhere, really. It’s just $50. Buy a set here.

Listen to This
We’re fast approaching the official kickoff to summer (the solstice, yo!), which I’m going to be making the most of, whether I’m stuck inside still or not. “Summer in the City” by The Lovin’ Spoonful is a summertime jam for the ages—complete with the honking horns and the line about it being “hotter than a match head.” Crank it up while you’re working on your next application: It could be a source of inspiration—or just give you the wanderlust to roam around the yard a bit and come up with your next killer cover letter opening line.

Casey’s Homemade Goods Puts Saratoga Storefront on Hold (Updated)

Jeff Dingler
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Casey’s Homemade Goods Puts Saratoga Storefront on Hold (Updated)

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many small business owners to rethink their plans for expansion. When Saratoga Living spoke with Saratoga Springs–based baking company, Casey’s Homemade Goods, back in May, owner Casey Dolan was planning to open her first storefront off of Broadway in Downtown Saratoga. (Earlier in the month, Dolan had announced on her company’s Facebook and Instagram pages that a brick-and-mortar store would be opening this fall.) Those plans have since fallen through, Dolan now confirms, due to the pandemic and “family matters.”

Casey’s Homemade Goods was founded in Dolan’s home in January of 2019, and since then, she’s been taking online orders for pickup and special events. According to the baker back in May, business was on the up and up. “I’ve seen a huge increase in business during this pandemic,” said Dolan. “The desire to support local has been overwhelming. But being able to provide a little joy and celebration to the people in my community is very rewarding and it inspires me to grow.”

Dolan’s passion for baking is evident in the menu of sweet treats (and now breads) that are available for order through her website. In addition to the usual sugary suspects—cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts, macarons and ice cream—the bakery also makes its own signature creations like Cookie Burgers (a brownie with strawberries, homemade marshmallow fluff and cheesecake fillings all sandwiched between two giant chocolate chip cookies) and Togatarts (a healthier, fresh-made Pop-Tart inspiration that comes in a variety of unique flavors—Death Wish Nutella, PB&J and brown sugar cinnamon to name a few).

Despite the brick-and-mortar plans being put on hold, Dolan tells Saratoga Living that she’s still up and running at full capacity and has been filling orders for cakes, fall macarons, apple pie Togatarts and cookies.

Governor Cuomo: New York Launches $100 Million Small Business Relief Program

Will Levith
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Governor Cuomo: New York Launches $100 Million Small Business Relief Program

With the Capital Region and seven other regions having begun their phased reopening plans, the focus now shifts on how to get an economy, whose growth has been temporarily stunted, back in working order.

In his May 22 press briefing, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that “small business is a priority,” with 90 percent of businesses in New York being small ones. To take the place of the federal government’s small business assistance program, which has run out of money, Cuomo announced that New York, in partnership with private banks, would be launching its own small business relief fund, the $100 million-plus New York Forward Loan Fund. The fund will provide flexible and affordable loans to assist small businesses, focusing on Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) that did not receive federal assistance, as well as business that have 20 or fewer employees and less than $3 million in gross revenues (find out more about the program here).

In regard to Long Island and Mid-Hudson region, both of which had still not reopened, Cuomo noted that they could reopen as early as next week, if their COVID-19 deaths continue to decline and they get the number of available contact tracers up. To that end, the state will allow construction staging in advance of phase one to begin before the regions officially reopen.

The largest piece of the reopening puzzle is New York City, which appears to still be a ways away, though Mayor Bill de Blasio said it could begin reopening as early as June. It’s unclear whether the governor is onboard with this claim, though.

What It’s Like Being Homeless In Saratoga During The COVID-19 Crisis

Lisa Mitzen
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What It’s Like Being Homeless In Saratoga During The COVID-19 Crisis

Editor’s Note: In her semi-regular column for Saratoga Living, correspondent and homeless advocate Lisa Mitzen has introduced Saratogians to a number of faces of the city’s homeless population. In this latest report, Mitzen tracked down Dana, a man who has been dealing with the realities of homelessness, while battling sobriety, all within the context of a global pandemic. 

After 39 years of battling alcoholism, imagine that you decide to tackle sobriety while living in a homeless shelter—and then a global pandemic hits. That’s exactly what happened to 53-year-old Dana. He was kind enough to spend some socially distanced time with me to share his story.

Born and raised in Rye, NY, Dana describes his childhood as “wonderful.” As an only child, he says he was spoiled rotten, spending his winters in New York and summers on Cape Cod. Around the age of 14, things changed when Dana and his friends started drinking beer. Then, he says, “I was off to the races.”

Even as Dana was battling his addiction, he describes his parents as being very supportive of his attempts at recovery. He was only 18 years old when they paid for his first stint in rehab. His parents were willing to help him in any way they could, as long as he didn’t come back home. “I was a mess and far too volatile to be in their daily life,” he tells me. Dana was able to maintain his sobriety, on and off, for 39 years, and at one point, he was sober for five years, but he always went back to drinking (beer was always his drink of choice; he never got into drugs or hard alcohol).

Throughout his life, Dana always found work and lived in many places across the country. Sadly, he says that he managed to lose every job he ever got and ruin every relationship he ever had. Fast forward to November 2018, when Dana landed a great job in Upstate New York, but one thing led to another, and he once again found himself unemployed with nowhere to live. He took his belongings and rented a climate-controlled storage unit in Albany, far less expensive than an apartment. Landing one job after another, he earned enough to support his habit, cover his bus rides to and from his job, and even joined a gym near the storage unit where he would shower. Dana lived like this for several months. “To me, I was so mentally sick [thinking] that it was normal,” he says.

In the fall and winter months, when the frigid temperatures returned to Upstate New York, Dana ran up the few credit cards he had, so he could stay in motels. It was far better than the storage unit, and he could just feed his habit night after night. Eventually, he began having dark thoughts, and on the night of this past February 17, Dana recalls saying to himself: “Something has to change; I can’t do this anymore; help me.” The realization that he was one step away from becoming a filthy, homeless, drunk person was enough to make him go to the Code Blue Shelter in Saratoga Springs. The smell hit Dana hard at the door, but he knew, 100 percent, that it was the right move. It was now or never; he had to change his life.

After one week of tackling sobriety, he moved to the Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) branch on Walworth Street, where he knew he could get the support he needed to remain on track. Dana felt hopeful for the first time in years—and then the COVID-19 crisis hit. Governor Cuomo put forth the stay-at-home order and mandated social distancing, something that is physically impossible in a homeless shelter. Soon thereafter, SOS collaborated with the City of Saratoga Springs and the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs to move its guests into the hotel for the duration of the crisis.

Thankfully, Dana’s current job is considered “essential,” so he’s been able to continue working throughout the crisis. But he says his continued treatment has been difficult, because he can no longer attend group rehab meetings; nothing compares to being able to sit in the same room with others, facing the same struggles. Also, with gyms closed, Dana hasn’t been able to workout, one of his favorite distractions. He continues to take things one day at a time and is grateful for everything that Shelters of Saratoga has done and is doing for him. “Three months ago, I was a bum, sitting in Albany, drinking beer on a bus and thinking my life was over,” he says. “And now I’m here. I owe everything, literally, everything, after almost 40 years of drinking, to Shelters of Saratoga. Who knew that they would help me to save my life?”

AngioDynamics’ Kim Seabury Discusses IT’s Role In Making Remote Work ‘Business As Usual’ During The COVID-19 Crisis

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AngioDynamics’ Kim Seabury Discusses IT’s Role In Making Remote Work ‘Business As Usual’ During The COVID-19 Crisis

Whether it’s keeping in touch with loved ones via Zoom or restaurants using delivery apps to keep sales up, technology has played a major role in how society has adapted to the “new normal” during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s especially true of AngioDynamics, a Latham-based medical technology firm, which has harnessed the power of tech.

With its entire office workforce for the first time ever working completely from home, AngioDynamics has leaned heavily on its IT department for support. And they’ve come through time and again. “Part of tech that I’ve always enjoyed is that it’s changing all the time, and COVID-19 has certainly put that to the test,” says Kim Seabury, the company’s senior vice president of IT. “We know that in IT we always have to change to the situation and adjust quickly.” Case in point, when Governor Andrew Cuomo issued his work-from-order back in March, AngioDynamics had the majority of its office employees working remotely within just 24 hours. (It also had social distancing and other safety protocols in place weeks before the governor’s mandate.) Seabury’s IT department was vital to keeping communication lines open within the company. “I’m extremely proud of my team, and our entire workforce’s ability to adjust quickly,” she says. “The people we have here are just fantastic.”

Ever since that plate-tectonic shift, Seabury says that AngioDynamics has been expanding its use of tech in the virtual office. “We keep in touch with all of our employees online,” says Seabury. “We do regular check-ins to make sure that everyone has the tech and equipment they need to do their job.” Seabury adds that the business is also doing research into any upgrades or new technology that will enhance employees’ experiences working from home. Furthermore, AngioDynamics has been relying more on its IT department to stay in touch with its customer base, which, in turn, helps the patients who need its lifesaving devices.

Looking ahead to the gradual reopening of the Capital Region, which began this week, AngioDynamics, like many industries, is planning to review its work-from-home policy. “There are a lot of opportunities to do things differently when we return to the offices,” says Seabury. “It’s proven to me, personally, that you can be effective working from home. So going forward, we will explore the idea of enabling a different balance of how much employees work remotely.”

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