Albany – SEFCU, one of the largest credit unions in upstate New York, has announced the creation of a program to assist active U.S. Military and Veterans from all five branches of the armed forces and the National Guard.

The program includes a 0.25% Annual Percentage Rate reduction on all SEFCU auto, RV/boat, sportscraft, and fixed-rate Home Equity Loans on top of all other rate reductions (Home Equity Lines of Credit coming soon), as well as waiving the $350 commitment fee and $175 application fee for any mortgage.

“SEFCU has established this new program to show our gratitude for the sacrifices our active military and veterans have made. These men and women have paid it forward and now it’s our turn to pay them back,” said Michael J. Castellana, SEFCU President and CEO.

To apply for a loan, individuals must be (or become) SEFCU members. Qualified applicants will need to show military/veteran IDs or other proof of military status, in addition to meeting all underwriting criteria. Those interested in this program, can visit sefcu.com/militaryprogram for more information.

About SEFCU

Established in 1934, today SEFCU is among the 50 largest credit unions in the U.S. with more than $3 billion in assets, more than 330,000 members, and 47 branches in the Capital Region, Binghamton, Syracuse, and Buffalo. In addition to full service retail and commercial banking products and services, SEFCU is committed to supporting the community through the donation of time and talent of its staff and members, as well as monetary contributions to help people and make an impact in the communities it serves.  Find us on Facebook^® and follow us on Twitter^®.

SARATOGA SPRINGS>> One local restaurant is mixing up the happy hour routing with its first-ever  Make Your Own Happy Hour. 

On Thursday July 21 st , chef Brian Maxwell and bartender Jai Silva will host The Crown Grill’s Make Your Own Happy Hour.  

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., guests will be presented with two specialty cocktail options to choose from along with a demonstration of how each cocktail is created. In addition, make your own flatbreads will be offered to pair with these cocktails. Each guest will receive two flatbreads and have an assortment of

signature toppings to choose from (fresh mozzarella, artichoke hearts, arugula, heirloom tomatoes, Andouille sausage, and many more) with which they can make their own creations. 

This is an interactive and informative session featuring feedback and suggestions by the chef. Cost to attend Make Your Own Happy Hour is $10 per guest and includes one cocktail, two flatbreads and an assortment of fresh toppings. Signing up via email is recommended (crown@crowngrillsaratoga.com) but drop ins are also welcome.

Under the guidance of Chef Brian Maxwell, who recently joined The Crown Grill, after 13 years at Village Pizzeria and Ristorante and Villago, a new dinner menu was launched, featuring classic Crown Grill favorites like Maryland crab cakes and rack of lamb along with new delicious offerings including: roasted zucchini flatbread, cajun penne alfredo, shrimp Milanese, New York strip steak four ways

chicken piccata and more. The bar menu includes new cocktails lemon basil martini, Honey Crush as well as a robust selection of craft beers and wines. 

Live entertainment will also be available, as of July 20, every Wednesday at 7 p.m. featuring R&B, soul and jazz artist Azzaam and Roosevelt as well as Sundays at 9 p.m. featuring the legendary Al Bruno.

Kitchen improvements over the past few weeks have included making the Crown Grill kitchen completely separate from that of their adjacent sister restaurant, Circus Café. “We are happy to have two separate chefs and two separate kitchens to allow for more creativity, a distinct, separate identity and enhanced guest accommodation in each restaurant,” said co-owner Christel MacLean. in a press release. Chef Brian Maxwell is running The

Crown Grill kitchen. A seasoned Chef, Brian has spent the last 13 years at award winning Villago and Village Pizzeria.

“As previously reported, with the opportunities presented to us by our other business, Saratoga Juice Bar, we found ourselves with limited time and put The Crown Grill on the market. When a suitable buyer did not materialize by late spring we decided to have some fun and make this a really wonderful summer with a terrific full dinner menu, new bar additions and entertainment twice a week,” said co-owner Colin MacLean in the release.

The Crown Grill is located at 390 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs. 

For more information or to make a reservation, please call 518-583-1105. 

Visit www.crowngrillsaratoga.com to check out the new summer menu, entertainment offerings and weekly promotions. 

While The Crown Grill does not offer lunch, its sister restaurant, Circus Café, located directly next door, serves lunch seven days a week from 11am.

Downtown Happenings April 2016 Greetings! We are ready to share many of the projects that the BID has been working on at this year's Annual Meeting/Discover Troy event. We will unveil the all new State of Downtown Troy Report, give you a sneak peek of the all new BID website, our downtown Troy walking brochure, and much more.     We hope to see you there, Your Downtown Troy BID staff Troy BID Events Annual Meeting and Discover Troy event Takk house| Monday, May 9 | 5pm - 8pm Join us at the Takk House (55 Third St.) as we network, mingle, and wrap up our 2015 year. This year we will unveil the State of the Downtown Troy report, a 20-plus page report filled with demographics, information, infographics, and facts about downtown Troy.  Do not miss out on this event! Meet some of our amazing downtown Troy businesses in a showcase that will highlight our beloved Collar City. Bar provided by The Ruck, music provided by Jim Barrett (owner of The River Street Beat Shop) and Tim McDonough AKA as Caladonia Sound System. B-Rad's Bistro and Catering will provide light fare, and several downtown Troy eateries will also feature samplings of their signature dishes.  Come network with us and Discover Troy! The For Rent Event Thursday, May 17|9-11    Don't miss this Downtown Troy district-wide commercial and residential property open house. Come tour Downtown and see many office and storefront spaces, ready to be leased, or even for sale.  An historic walking tour will be conducted during the event, departing in front of the BID office at 251 River Street on Monument Square at 9AM.    P. Thomas Carroll, senior scholar with the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway will act as tour guide. Register here, space is limited.  BID volunteers will happily walk you around as well, or provide you with materials and let you walk around on your own.  Each guest will receive a map and listings.  Have a vacant space and want to include it on the tour? Don't miss this great opportunity to showcase your space! To register your property for the event, click HERE and return the form to events@troybid.org.    The Makers Market  The Atrium, 4 3rd Street / River Street Join us every Saturday morning in The Atrium alongside the Troy Waterfront Farmer's Market from 9:00 to 2:00 and as of May 7, come see our makers on River Street in Monument Square. The Makers Market is composed of artisans from across our region, selling unique handmade goods. Come see what they have to offer while you are exploring downtown Troy and all of its individual restaurants and retailers! May Troy Night Out TNO will be celebrating all things Made in Troy, USA! Once the manufacturing center for shirts, shirtwaists, collars and cuffs, Troy's rich history of manufacture continues today.  The Troy Makers Market is a celebration of crafters, makers, artists & taste makers from around the Capital Region. We're proud of our many retail craftspeople and artisans who live and work In Troy and who create jewelry, candles, paper goods, t-shirts, and art of all mediums. We also have many tech-minded makers, creators, artists, engineers and entrepreneurs working in shared spaces using shared tools and resources. May's TNO will also feature another Troy BID Murder, Mayem, and Mysteries tour. Follow us on Facebook for event registration info. This edition of the tour will focus on Troy's Great Fire. Save the Date  your downtown calendar for the next few months      Member classifieds  Commercial space for rent   2000 sq feet commercial space, with room to expand  Heat included, tenant pays for their own electric and half of water. Motivated landlord, price negotiable. Please call 518.274.4024 for more details or to request a showing. Business Spotlight! Naturally Grown opened its doors in 2013 out of necessity and a strong desire to serve the community and allow it to grow naturally.  The owner, Alison Brown, is originally from the Central NY area and moved to Rensselaer County after graduating from chiropractic college.  She is a practicing chiropractor with her husband in Schodack.  She explains, "We had our son 3 years ago and decided we would cloth diaper him.  During this process it came to my attention that we didn't have a great place to purchase, feel, see, and learn about cloth diapers in the Capital Region." This prompted her to open Naturally Grown. She continues, "During my pregnancy with our son I did a lot of reading and research on products and what they're made of. This made me change to a more natural and eco-friendly way of living and eating."  Naturally Grown was opened to carry responsibly made, sustainable items that are healthy for baby and momma. Other than cloth diapers, you can find baby carriers, sustainably made toys, natural personal products, locally made items, and more.  We also offer classes for the community. Follow us on Facebook for updates and information, www.facebook.com/naturallygrownbaby. Member Events Sunhee's Farm and Kitchen 95-97 Ferry St. Friday, April 29th 5-9pm. Community Soft Launch Sunhee's Farm and Kitchen is a family-owned, Korean-style quick service restaurant and marketplace whose mission it is to preserve Korean food tradition, promote the growth of the local, "real food" movement, and to partner with the local refugee resettlement agency to build a strong workforce. To learn more about their mission, click HERE.   Headlocks on the Hudson Call For Vendors Riverfront Park Sunday, June 5th  Underground Athletics is looking for food vendors for an Olympic-style wrestling tournament for all ages, genders and experience! Please contact Ashley Uccellini at(518) 441-8615 for more details. Culinary Square 251 River St. April 29th, Troy Night Out Ribbon cutting and In-store Demos Join us for a ribbon-cutting at 4pm and demos at 5pm.  Messermeister will be doing knife demos, and Swiss Diamond will be doing cookware demos. Brown's Malt Room 417 River St.  Comfort Cuisine Wednesday, May 11th, 6-9pm. Sample the delicious offerings of local restaurants during this year's 4th annual Comfort Cuisine! Enjoy a silent auction, wine pull, music, and samples of the Capital District's top chefs' favorite comfort foods while raising money for the Troy Boys and Girls Club. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the club and online. Naturally Grown 282-B River Street Saturday, May 7th at 11:00am A Financial Primer for New Parents & Young Families.  Having children changes every aspect of your life, including your household finances. From diapers and daycare, to 529s and FSAs...who has the time to do the research when you're charting this new territory and operating on no sleep? Join us for an important discussion on what all new parents and young families should know about household finances: saving for the future, and maximizing cash flow today. For more information please email Tiffany at Tiffany.Soricelli@nm.com. Rensselaer Land Trust  Benefit Dinner at the Illium Cafe Bistro 9 Broadway May 21st Rensselaer Land Trust is partnering with GroupRaise and the Illium Cafe Bistro for a benefit dinner on Saturday, May 21 from 5 to 9 p.m. Enjoy an evening out with family and friends while supporting your local land trust! The Rensselaer Land Trust will receive 15% of the dinner receipts put in the jar, not including tax, tip, or alcohol. Dinner reservation need to be made by May 18 HERE. Tech Valley Center of Gravity 30 3rd St. May 3rd Social Night Potluck 6-8pm. Every Tuesday night we gather for food and conversation. Free and open to public. More info.   May 4, 2016 IGDA Albany Monthly Meeting. 7-9pm. Free talk with the International Game Developer Association Albany chapter about game development/game industry. More info. May 5th Stitch & Sip Open Crafting . 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Bring your own project (sewing, knitting, needlework...or hey, anything portable) and a beverage for a fun evening stitching and sipping in good company.  Free to members, $5 cash fee at check-in for non-members.More info. May 7th TroyByDesign. 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm This yearly event brings together designers and makers from the Troy community and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus to showcase work, stimulate imagination, and foster collaboration. More info. May 11th TVGS Social Night. 6-9:00 pm A fun-filled social night relaxing and talking about games, development, and other topics. Got a new project to show off? Let's play it! Have a board game to play? Bring it in! Want to bring your own VR?  More info. May 12th TVCOG Writers' Workshop. 6-9 pm Every other Thursday. Co-writing with the TVCG Writers' Group. Brown bag a dinner and bring your writing tool(s) of choice and a project on which to focus. All genres and platforms welcome. TVCOG and TVGS members: free. Non-member writers: $5 at the door. RSVP Rhonda Rosenheck, rhonda@reworkediting.com or srp-kitchen@tvcog.net. More info. May 14 Family Saturday Workshops @ THINQubator. 10am-1pm Bring your kids to our Family Saturday workshops, a drop-in event held at the THINQubator! Sponsored by the Albany Socienty of Engineers! More info. May 17 General Meeting - Elections! 7-8 pm We will be holding elections for the executive team (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary). More info. May 18 TVGS Lesson Night. 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm The Tech Valley Game Space (TVGS) Lesson Night is a free monthly lesson on tools useful for game development. All ages and backgrounds welcome, no prior experience required, and no need to feel daunted!More info. Workshops at Forage and Sundry 137 4th St. Terrarium Workshop! May 5th |6-7:30pm. Make your own terrarium! Closed terrariums are easy to care for, needing low/filtered sun light, and watering only 3-4 times per year!! They add spark of creative inspiration to any room. You will make one medium sized closed terrarium, featuring two moisture loving foliage plants. All materials will be provided, including decorative rocks and crystals. You are welcome to bring any personal decorations- keep in mind that wood and items from salt water areas are not suitable for this environment. Sign Up Here.   Enjoy 15% off in-store merchandise during this workshop! Troy Cloth and Paper 291 River St. May 14th|2-4pm PRINT-YOUR-OWN T-SHIRT WORKSHOP Print your own design on a tee from start to finish.  Perfect for do-it-yourselfers who have ideas for tees, but don't know how to make them a reality, or for those who are curious about the process! By the end of the class you will have learned what type of art works best with the medium, how to expose and set up your screens, and how to pull a perfect print. You'll also receive pointers on how to set up a modest personal studio so you can keep printing at home! Class runs 2-3 hrs, and includes all screen printing supplies as well as one white t-shirt. Feel free to bring more tees or totes with you and keep on printing as long as time allows. $65. Sign up here. Troy Savings Bank Music Hall 30 Second St. 5.7.16 @ 8:00pm  The Waifs One of Australia's most enduring and lauded folk, pop, and roots outfit. 5.12.16 @ 7:30pm An Evening with Ottmar Liebert Flamenco guitarist Ottmar Liebert is known for his thrilling live performances! 5.19.16 @ 7:30pm The Milk Carton Kids Congratulations on their 2016 Grammy nomination! 5.22.16 @ 3:00pm Reinventing Radio: An Evening with Ira Glass Ira returns to the Hall to once again talk about the creative process behind This American Life "Mr. Glass is a journalist but also a storyteller who filters his interviews and impressions through a distinctive literary imagination..." - NYT