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The Saratogian Newsroom blog, complete with thoughts and commentary from our newsroom staff and regular posts on happenings around town.

Tuesday, July 28

Opening day of track

I will admit that I am one of those crotchety city residents who loves Saratoga most in the spring and early summer, and then again in the late summer and fall. It's pleasant outside, there's lots going on, and, perhaps best of all, the track is closed.

Today, on the eve of the first day of the 2009 meet, I hasten to add that I fully understand and appreciate the importance of the track to this community, and I am grateful for everything that it does for us. I will be on hand tomorrow for opening day, and will be covering all of the action for Thursday's paper.

But, I don't look forward to the noise and hoopla that accompanies the track, spilling out of the Union Avenue gates onto Caroline Street, Broadway, and all other areas of downtown. Maybe I'd be more excited about it all if I were into gambling, but, simply put, I can't afford to loose any money, so I abstain.

The other consequence of the track opening tomorrow is that some offices in City Hall will go on virtual hiatus, as work to keep up with the influx of thousands of people suddenly steals focus from more mundane matter that can be dealt with as easily in September as they can in August.

The Planning Board does it right, taking a month-long break in August, and presumably heading for the hills, or else taking up seats in the grandstand -- I'm not sure which.

Last year's opening day was marked by copious rain. I can only hope that his year will be dry. After all, if I'm going to be out there, I'd prefer not to get wet.

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This has nothing to do with this blog but I couldn't help but notice the silence of the cop haters commenting on the arrest of the scum who kidnapped that girl. Saratoga cops must all be overpaid with outrageous benefit packages. They are all lazy and eat donuts. Right?? Maybe it was one of these coward's daughter that was the victim? Or maybe the Saratogian wasn't posting the comments. Maybe nobody gives a hoot until its thier family or themselves in trouble.

July 28, 2009 at 9:47 PM 
Blogger The Saratogian City Desk said...

anon 9:47 p.m.:
We did disable comments on the story about the abduction. However, I think everyone is pretty grateful that our local and state police agencies brought that case to a quick resolution.

July 29, 2009 at 1:11 PM 
Blogger Horatio Alger said...

Whoah..sounds like somebody has caught a case of the sweeping generalizations...

But for argument's sake, let me get this straight: Because the cops(or the state police to be specific)picked up an El Salvadorian sick-o that had been in the country illegally for six years --and did so coincidentally just three days before the track meet --our taxpayers are supposed to stand idly while a union-beholden cabal rubber stamps the largest Public Safety budget this city has ever seen? Is that the generalization you were trying to make?

Thought so. Cheers!

July 29, 2009 at 8:33 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is the Saratogian anti-police? Why disable comments on this story, you let every other person complain about their using cell phones and outrageous contract?

July 29, 2009 at 8:44 PM 
Blogger muldoonmedia said...

I am also a crotchtey resident when it comes to the racing season, I like my town better when the outsiders are gone.

July 29, 2009 at 11:04 PM 
Blogger The Saratogian City Desk said...

anon 8:44:

The Saratogian is not anti-police. While I was not involved in the decision to disallow comments on the story about the kidnapping, I understand that it was made for two reasons: First, to provide one less forum for fact-less, anonymous bashing of the police, and secondly (but perhaps more importantly), to prevent the type of libelous attacks we saw posted on the story about Erin Fay's tragic death.

July 30, 2009 at 9:43 AM 

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