PLEASE READ! I am angry and trying not to make a broader issue about this than it already is. Troy/Rensselaer County absentee ballot issue!!! A few months ago I HAND DELIVERED my application to the Rensselaer County Board of Elections for an absentee ballot because I had a question and will be out of town from early voting through the elections. I was told that absentee ballots would be mailed out on September 28th. The time came and went and yesterday I called the Rensselaer County Board of Elections to find out why I never received my ballot. They told me they don't have any application for me and the last one was in 2020! I hand-delivered my application personally! They asked what date that was and I have no idea because it was so long ago. I am super pissed and something is not right here. Am I the only one? It was clearly not lost in the mail because I hand delivered it! Surely others may have problems, as well. If you asked for an absentee ballot for any reason and have not received it yet please check up on this!! I am going to have to get another application and hand deliver that and hand deliver my ballot. Who knows what will happen with that? Another disappearing act? Not good. Spread the word.

i’m not trying to point fingers or fault here.

i’m asking how could we have supported our businesses better with this program? the expiry of the COVID stimulus and the current economy are affecting things, but this is where lean, smart programs come into play.

what more can we do?

Who would be down to meet eachother at bard and baker one night? Esp for those solo players who don't know anyone in the area!

If I can get a headcount, I'd be down to reserve a table some night for us!

I know it sounds loser, but I swear I just want to go play some board games but it always looks like people go in groups and I want to play so many games I just don’t have a group to play with 🥲

Like how does it work? Or do people accept other players to join?

Thanks for reading haha

Hey reddit gang, we created a sub just for events (and only events) around the Capital Region. No news, politics or rants. Just a place to discover the best things to do in the 518. Join us!

https://www.reddit.com/r/518events/

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Hiya - I've lived here for six years, and honestly at this point I'm just wondering where tf people in their 20s go on Saturday nights. Franklin alley used to have a lot of people in general and that was my go to... But every time I go now it's pretty empty. It can't be that everyone is playing games at bard and baker, can it? I'm trying to meet people and have fun at a bar, and it just seems like every bar is either empty or has an older demographic. Except for the whiskey pickle, but that's gone now. Any advice?

Hey I’m looking for a mechanic that would be able to install a right front outer tie rod for me. Places that I checked out won’t install parts I bring in. I just want to provide the part pay for your rate. Any recommendations would help!

Looking at buying a home in Troy’s lovely floodplain and my mortgage will require me to carry flood insurance, who has shopped insurance and who seems to be the cheapest insurance provider?

2nd annual Blue Rose Festival is this Saturday outside at Oakwood Community Center! All local acts, theres so much talent on this lineup. Bands get a little more rockin later in the day. Would be a great event to bring kids to if you want to get them into live music. Weather looks perfect too! Probably one of the last warm weekend days to bask in the sun with a cool crispy beer while enjoying some great music. Last year (at Rare Form) was a blast, I cant wait for this one! Pretty sweet deal for $20.

I’m hosting a local R&B and Hip Hop showcase Saturday night in Troy. We have some incredible talent lined up to perform. It’s a free event with a $5 suggested donation if you can swing it. It’s going to be a fun night - come down and check it out!

Check out each artists’ music online and here is a sneak peek of the headliner MKNA:

https://youtu.be/4kXsvhZHcJ0?si=Ja_s-DR1kBlkmbD1

Hi all! Looking to have a “fall day” with my partner. Can anyone recommend a brewery, pumpkin patch or anything that screams “fall?” (Willing to drive about 30 mins outside Troy) Thanks!!

A former Albany resident, my wife and I just moved back to the area after being out of state for a few years. I’m super excited to be able to release this in the place we realized was home for us all along.

Spanning several years, this book is a collection of absurd (and real) conversations between myself and various internet scam artists that I truly never thought would see the light of day. From bogus romances to celebrity angel investors, internet scams are on the rise and I have spent a tremendous amount of time delighting in making those responsible regret their decision to slip into my DM’s.

I’m opening up presales to anyone and everyone interested in getting their hands on a copy.

$15 (plus tax and shipping, if required).

Regarding Sweating The Petty (And Other Working Titles): Adventures In Scambaiting, the Capital District’s own ska punk powerhouse trio Girth Control writes:

“Sweating the Petty elevates the simple stupidity of messing with anonymous internet scammers into art, with Ryan’s wit and knack for storytelling emerging in the unlikeliest of places.”

DM for more info!

I am trying to determine if field of horrors is worth going to. Went to headless horseman last year and had a blast. What should I expect?

The Friends of the Troy Public Library will be at the Troy Farmer's Market this coming Saturday, October 5. Cross your fingers it does not rain as we will only come in dry weather! Market attendees can donate via cash or Venmo to take home some of our gently used books - we will be bringing hundreds! All proceeds benefit the Troy Public Library.

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If it rains, we will reschedule to attend the farmer's market another time and you can always check out our permanent bookstore, The Book Seller, which is open Saturdays and Wednesdays and where all books are $1 or less.

Hey is twisted fiddler shutting down

I was in the Rite Aid today to pick up a prescription, and there's less stock on the shelves than there was the previous time I was in.

I remember during the summer that the freezers were emptied but had heard that was because there was a power failure. However, the lack of stock makes me worried that they're planning to close it.

Does anyone know if there's anything going on?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAlhj0bpsVY/?igsh=MXRtNmMwN2pwNGNvYQ==

From the Times Union: https://www.timesunion.com/churchill/article/hey-look-grocery-almost-downtown-troy-19804032.php

The Bargain Grocery has been open for nearly two weeks in a neighborhood that largely lacked access to fresh food

By Chris Churchill, Columnist
Oct 1, 2024

The Bargain Grocery has been open for nearly two weeks in a neighborhood that largely lacked access to fresh food

Twice in recent weeks, I’ve gone grocery shopping in central Troy. That might not seem like such a big deal — and it shouldn’t be, really — but the experience wasn’t possible until a new store opened its doors. 

Bargain Grocery is on River Street just north of Hoosick Street, which puts it just outside what’s considered downtown. It sits, then, on the southern edge of North Central — a neighborhood marked by poverty and disinvestment, a place that, like much of Troy, has long lacked a full-service supermarket. 

Bargain Grocery isn’t a conventional grocery store, but it should go a long way to filling the need. Most importantly, it sells significant quantities of fresh produce purchased from local farms and wholesalers. Its packaged foods are salvaged items purchased (mostly) at a low price and resold on the cheap. 

That makes Bargain Grocery something like a supermarket version of Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. Much of the food would otherwise be headed to a landfill, either because its packaging is superficially damaged, its expiration date is looming or for some other reason. It is good food, though, largely brand name. 

On one recent visit, I bought big boxes of Little Leaf Farms lettuce for $2.49, quarts of Natalie’s Orchard Island Juice for 99 cents and, I’m sorry to say, pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for $2.50.

The salvage market being what it is, the available products are ever-shifting, which means you won’t find every brand and there are gaps in what’s offered. For example, the store had neither milk nor quantities of coffee larger than single-serve packets. 

“This store seems like something you would see in Spain,” my daughter, who is 10, said as we shopped. 

I’m not sure what she meant by that. We’ve never been to Spain. 

In any event, the store at 558 River St. isn’t lying when it calls itself a bargain. And whatever profit is generated funds Compassion Coalition, a broader charity that gives away furniture, clothing, school supplies and more. That means you can feel good about shopping there, even if you can afford to shop at more expensive supermarkets. 

Of course, there are other places to buy food in Troy. You know about the big downtown farmers market on Saturdays. You may also know about the Capital Roots market, which is two River Street blocks north of Bargain Grocery.

But the new store, with about half the floor space of Trader Joe’s or Aldi’s, is the rare place in central Troy where you can buy cleaning products, staples like cereal or spaghetti sauce, and produce all in one place. That makes it a step toward a better and more livable city. 

“We’re in these neighborhoods for the food insecure,” said Michael Servello, a pastor who founded Bargain Grocery two decades ago in Utica. “It’s a whole different model from a traditional grocery store.”

It’s also a different model than Troy’s former Pioneer Food Market, Albany’s defunct South End Grocery and other unsuccessful attempts to sell groceries in so-called food deserts. For one thing, Servello is allergic to taking on debt. He’s built the store and its charity incrementally. 

Bargain Grocery wouldn’t be in Troy without help from developer and First Columbia head Kevin Bette, who partnered with Servello to bring the store to one of the buildings he owns in the neighborhood. The broader Flanigan Square development, which includes 72 affordable apartments and 123 units for seniors, also received $6.7 million from Empire State Development. 

With plans for a hair salon, bank branch, pharmacy and cafe, plus a gym with a rock-climbing wall, the hope is to create a vibrant urban neighborhood with foot traffic, eyes on the street and other Jane Jacobs-celebrated attributes. The city is set to extend the Troy Riverwalk northward to Hoosick Street. 

“We’re just trying to bring the basics back into that neighborhood,” Bette said. “Suburbanization was such a bad process for the U.S., and it really did segregate things for people.”

Servello has talked previously about opening as many as eight stores in the Capital Region. But while a store along South Pearl Street in Albany is still a possibility, he dialed back the ambitions a bit when we most recently spoke, citing concerns about keeping so many shelves stocked. 

But after more than two years of planning, Bargain Grocery is at last open in Troy. You can call that progress. 

Register at TroyTurkeyTrot.com. Registration fee increases on Oct 31, though consider donating something additional to support the Regional Food Bank of NENY and Joseph's House and Shelter.

From the Troy Record: https://www.troyrecord.com/2024/10/01/registration-open-for-the-troy-turkey-trot/

TROY, N.Y. — Registration is now open for the 77th annual Troy Turkey Trot, presented by Pioneer, set for Thanksgiving morning, Thu., Nov. 28, the group announced in a press release. Whether they’re racing for a PR or just for the fun of it, competitors can secure a spot at TroyTurkeyTrot.com and get ready to hit the starting line.

As the 12th oldest road race in the nation, the Troy Turkey Trot is a key highlight of Collar City’s holiday season, drawing more than 20,000 runners and spectators to historic downtown Troy, the release said. It is the Capital Region’s largest Thanksgiving Day road race.

“We are thrilled to welcome the community back to the 2024 Troy Turkey Trot,” Mayor Carmella Mantello said in the release. “This beloved event brings families together and supports those affected by hunger and homelessness. It’s more than a race; it’s an opportunity to connect with neighbors and make a meaningful impact on one of America’s most beloved holidays.”

According to the release, the day’s events begin with the Capital Region’s only Thanksgiving Day 10K at 8 a.m., followed by the Grade School Mile at 9:30 a.m. and the Turkey Walk at 9:35 a.m. The 5K starts at 10 a.m. Participants can form teams in various categories, including Family/Friends and Corporate. There is no extra fee for family team categories.

All races start at 4th and Fulton Streets and finish at River Street’s Monument Square. Awards will be given for overall and age group categories in both the 10K and 5K. Each participant will receive an event-specific shirt and a finisher’s medal.

For those unable to attend in person, virtual options are available for the 5K, 10K, Grade School Mile and Turkey Walk, the release said. Virtual events are self-timed, with results uploaded to the Troy Turkey Trot’s registration platform. Virtual participants will be mailed an event-specific shirt and finisher’s medal.

“This holiday season, we look forward to seeing Trotters’ generosity shine once again,” said Event Director George Regan in the release. “By supporting our two main charities — the Regional Food Bank of NENY and Joseph’s House and Shelter — during registration and through our Volunteer Incentive Recruitment Program, participants can make a significant impact. Last year, Trotters donated $22,050 to these worthy causes.”

Free parking is available citywide, the release said. A parking map is available at troyny.gov/parking. Unofficial results will be posted at TroyTurkeyTrot.com and at the awards tent at Monument Square, with personalized finisher certificates available online.

For more information or to register, visit TroyTurkeyTrot.com. Entry fees increase on Tue., Oct. 1. Event sponsors include Pioneer, Maria College, Wm. J. Fagan & Sons, Capital Region Honda Dealers, and Choice Physical Therapy.