With a new week underway, here are five of the stories, events and news items our team of reporters is tracking.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ARE BACK
While some football teams got started over the weekend, practices for all fall high school sports get underway across the Capital Region this week.
In addition to football, that means preparation for soccer, cheerleading, volleyball, field hockey, cross country, golf, girls’ tennis and girls’ swimming and diving will officially start.
Later in the week, the first competitions of the Section II fall season will take place, as local boys’ and girls’ golf teams hit the links for their opening matches. Teams in most other sports will have to wait until at least the following week to accumulate the required number of practices to be able to begin competing.
— Adam Shinder
TUESDAY VOTING
New York is holding its second election of the summer on Tuesday. The election, which was set this spring during challenges to the state’s redistricting, includes two Democratic primaries – incumbent Rep. Paul Tonko vs. challenger Rostislav Rar in the New York 20th Congressional District, and Matt Castelli vs. Matt Putorti in the New York 21st Congressional District.
The Democratic winner in the 21st District will face Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, in November.
Tuesday’s slate also features a special election in the New York 19th Congressional District pitting Republican Marc Molinaro against Democrat Pat Ryan in a race to fill the Congressional seat from which Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, a Democrat, resigned in May after being appointed to his current role. That race, which will only seat a winner for the four months remaining on Delgado’s term, has received national attention because it is a rare battle between a Democrat and Republican ahead of November’s midterm elections.
— Andrew Waite
HARBOR JAM CONCLUDES
Harbor Jam wraps up for the season with two shows this weekend, bringing the music of legends Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire.
The concerts draw thousands to the Mohawk Harbor Amphitheater in Schenectady.
On Friday, Separate Ways — a Journey tribute band — will headline the show at 7:30 p.m. DJ Jay Pierre and Skeeter Creek open starting at 5 p.m.
Shining Star — an Earth, Wind & Fire tribute act — takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with DJ Ketchup and Scars N Stripes opening at 5 p.m. The evening will end with a fireworks show.
— Indiana Nash
TRAVERS STAKES
Saturday brings the highlight of the season at Saratoga Race Course, the 151st running of the $1.5 million Travers.
The post positions will be drawn Tuesday night at the Adelphi Hotel in downtown Saratoga Springs, and the field is expected to include Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and Preakness winner Early Voting.
The race card will also feature five other graded stakes in front of what should be the Spa’s biggest crowd of the year. Travers Day racing starts with an 11:35 a.m. post time for the first race, though crowds will flood the grounds hours before to stake their claims to the best spots.
— Adam Shinder
KNOX FIELD CLOSURE EXTENDED
The Greater Johnstown School District’s Knox Field will remain closed until at least Saturday as crews continue work to replace the aging turf and conduct other repairs.
Work on the $2 million capital project has been ongoing since Aug. 15.
The project will include replacing the turf, resurfacing the track and restoring and repairing the rusted and weak sections of the wrought iron fence on the South Perry side of the field. Money from the district’s Construction Capital Reserve Fund will pay for the project.
—Shenandoah Briere
Categories: -News-, At The Track, High School Sports, Life and Arts, Life and Arts, News
