Saratoga Springs Commissioner “Skip” Scirocco dies
Anthony “Skip” Scirocco succumbs to cancer: Read our coverage here.
In a statement to FoothillsBusinessDaily.com after our publication, Mayor Ron Kim writes: “I join all Saratogians as we mourn the passing of Commissioner Skip Scirocco and send our deepest condolences to his family. Skip was the complete public servant, dedicated to the City and its residents. He will be greatly missed.”
The story in the Times Union this morning calls Scirocco one of the city's most popular elected officials. Former Commissioner of Accounts John Franck told the paper: "We would also do parades. There was always applause for the mayor, but when Skip would show up…there was always an explosion of sound, like Jack Nicklaus showing up at the Masters." He was known for the full restoration of the Canfield Casino and the City Hall building after the fire in 2018, the story says.
Alcohol-to-go is law
A provision in the New York State budget allows restaurants and bars to serve alcohol to-go, which first started as a change to alcohol laws during the pandemic. The law quickly became popular, a story in the Albany Business Journal says. The law ended last year and there was a long debate on its new passage. The new rules go into effect when the budget is passed and sunset in three years unless new legislation is passed. Rules also say a person must buy a “substantial food item” with the alcohol, and the drink must be packaged in such a way that the lid must come off for consumption, the story says. Restaurants and bars will not be able to sell full bottles of liquor or wine.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Twitter page ballyhooed the agreement, saying, “We're legalizing to-go drinks — to support small businesses and because I know we could all use a drink!"
Black Chamber moving to U. Club of Albany building
The newly created Albany Black Chamber, which merged the UpState New York Black Chamber of Commerce and Capital District Black Chamber of Commerce, will have headquarters in the building that was the home of the University Club of Albany. Business for Good Foundation Inc., bought the property at 141 Washington Ave. last week for $950,000, said the Albany Black Chamber will be its partner and tenant in the building, according to the Albany Business Journal.