Sara Foss

Albany

Writer at Freelance

Capital Region journalist. Former news columnist at The Daily Gazette. Writer, filmgoer, parent.

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Articles

Introducing Union College’s First Female President

2 weeks ago | saratogaliving.com | Sara Foss

Union College’s vision statement, which calls for “developing every student to lead with wisdom, empathy and courage,” is a source of inspiration for Elizabeth Kiss, who on July 1 will become the first female president in the school’s 230-year history. “Those are more than just words,” says Kiss.
New York Celebrates: 200 Years on the Erie Canal

4 weeks ago | saratogaliving.com | Sara Foss

Nine years ago, my husband and I set off on a long bike ride across New York State. We started in Buffalo and headed east to Albany, cycling for much of the way on the 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail, which parallels both active and historic sections of the waterway that helped build the United States we know today. We crossed flat, vast expanses of upstate New York and coasted down long, rolling hills.
New York Celebrates: 200 Years on the Erie Canal - Capital Region Living Magazine

1 month ago | crlmag.com | Sara Foss

Nine years ago, my husband and I set off on a long bike ride across New York State. We started in Buffalo and headed east to Albany, cycling for much of the way on the 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail, which parallels both active and historic sections of the waterway that helped build the United States we know today. We crossed flat, vast expanses of upstate New York and coasted down long, rolling hills.
Inside the Garage a Saratoga Couple Turned Into a Private Bar

1 month ago | saratogaliving.com | Sara Foss

Kim and Leigh McConchie acquired their first classic car—a sleek, green 1965 Ford Mustang with white racing stripes—eight years ago. Their reason for buying it was a simple one: “I always wanted a car to go get ice cream in,” Kim says. Since then, the McConchies’ car collection has grown significantly, and today, they own 24 classic cars.
Phinney Design Group Has Green Dreams

2 months ago | saratogaliving.com | Sara Foss

When Michael Phinney studied architecture in the 1990s at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, unconventional modern buildings were all the rage. But those structures didn’t appeal to him. “They were these super-twisted, folded metal kinds of things,” Phinney says. “They felt cold.” As an architect, Phinney has gone in a completely different direction from the architects who once made waves with their sculptural and imposing buildings.
St. Joseph's Place offers safe haven in a troubled Schenectady neighborhood

Feb 20, 2025 | ncronline.org | Sara Foss |Daniel P. Horan |Helga Leija

People come to St. Joseph's Place for many reasons. Some come for coffee and cookies, quiet conversation and a place to sit. Others come to use the bathroom or phone. There is free clothing — socks, underwear, hats and more — and sometimes bagged lunches to go. For regulars, the biggest draw is the nuns, three Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in their 70s who run St. Joseph's Place. They provide comfort, care and counsel, which are intangible but very much needed.
St. Joseph's Place offers safe haven in a troubled Schenectady neighborhood

Feb 20, 2025 | globalsistersreport.org | Sara Foss |Daniel P. Horan |Helga Leija

People come to St. Joseph's Place for many reasons. Some come for coffee and cookies, quiet conversation and a place to sit. Others come to use the bathroom or phone. There is free clothing — socks, underwear, hats and more — and sometimes bagged lunches to go. For regulars, the biggest draw is the nuns, three Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in their 70s who run St. Joseph's Place. They provide comfort, care and counsel, which are intangible but very much needed.
Parillo Sausage Co.’s Missing Link

Feb 10, 2025 | saratogaliving.com | Sara Foss

Photography by Shawn LaChapelleMarisa Rahman knows how the sausage gets made. As a child, the Saratogian learned the ins and outs of turning pork into sausage and selling it to customers from her father, Marc Parillo. For decades, the elder Parillo ran Parillo Sausage Co., a company his father started in 1951, out of a plain white building just a few blocks away fromBroadway with his wife, Cheryle.
Listen Up: The Future Is Bright Sighted

Jan 27, 2025 | saratogaliving.com | Sara Foss

As a young TV journalist, Christine O’Donnell often bore witness to the dark side of life. She interviewed people experiencing terrible tragedies and gathered clips for the nightly news. Today, O’Donnell runs Bright Sighted Media, a podcast studio that doesn’t shy away from trauma and grief. But the emphasis is on human perseverance and in-depth conversation, not soundbites and calamity.
Capital Region Living Magazine

Sep 27, 2024 | crlmag.com | Sara Foss

When wealthy landowner Stephen Van Rensselaer founded Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1824, he envisioned a new kind of education. At that time, the college experience was passive; the typical college student attended lectures and took exams. Van Rensselaer wanted students to be active. He wanted them to participate in lectures, engage with the material, experiment and go into the field to learn and apply their knowledge. That vision has proved durable.