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If you love to imbibe, you may have considered making your own special, one-of-a-kind liquor. Something that is made exactly to your tastes. But, is it legal in New York State? I was watching Underworld, Inc., (one of my favorite docuseries) and they had an episode on illegal alcohol, which included moonshiners, of course. The people they featured lived in the south and went up to the Appalachian Mountains to make their illegal brews. Their stills were out in the wilderness, where animals and insects were able to get into to product. So I completely understand why it's illegal. Seeing the unsanitary conditions and chemicals that are used in the moonshine illegal moonshine process will make anyone in their right mind think twice about taking a swig.

There is little question that the New York Giants appear to be going in a better direction than they were a year ago. The subtraction of former general manager Dave Gettleman was enough to propel Big Blue up in my rankings. New GM Joe Schoen and his confident first-year head coach Brian Daboll are attempting to create Buffalo south in East Rutherford, NJ. However, Ben Linsey and Pro Football Focus (@PFF) ranked all 32 NFL teams on ESPN+. Will the Giants be better in 2022? If they are, it may not be because of the players.

They may think they're the Bonnie and Clyde of the Capital Region, but law enforcement is hot on their tail trying to track down a duo that police say have gone on a week-long stealing spree. Police are asking the public for some assistance; do you recognize these two, have...

The Lincoln Park Pool in Albany is getting an overhaul but before that can happen, residents need to decide on which design they like better for the area. Both designs will allow for triple the number of people that can utilize the pool complex. What Are The New Plans for...

Abandoned Ramada Hotel in Lake George is Eerie as Hell. According to the description, this video was taken in the summer of 2021. It claims to be of the former Ramada Hotel in Lake George, although a couple different hotels/motels have sported the Ramada name over the years, it's not clear which one this is. Looking back at some property transactions, it may be a Ramada that eventually become known as the Lake View Inn and Conference Center, located on Route 9N off Northway exit 21. Since no footage looks to have been taken around the building, it's difficult to confirm that. The last photo taken by Google Maps has the road leading to the hotel roped off, so more than likely it's the same place. Perhaps some locals or former guests may recognize the property?

You may have noticed this dwindling structure while heading up Route 9 from Latham to Halfmoon. Somewhere behind all the overgrown brush and fancy sign is Karl's Motel and Efficiency Apartments, and yes, people were living there up until recently. Currently, the property is abandoned and looks pretty hellish. The...

If you've lived in Upstate for any period of time at all, odds are you've seen a show at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. It's such a unique design for a venue of that size and significance - offering indoor and outdoor experiences at the same time. So many memories have been made there since it opened on July 9, 1966: maybe you've enjoyed your favorite artist there under the roof. Maybe you remember (possibly in hazy bits and pieces) seeing a show from the lawn with friends.

In what feels like the blink of an eye, we are a few weeks away from the beginning of the 2022 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. Nearly every year since 1864, the Spa has opened its gates to the masses in the Capital Region, and it's been the backdrop for some of horse racing's most memorable moments. While it's seen some masterful victories, it's also seen its fair share of heartbreak. So much so, in fact, that it's earned the nickname The Graveyard of Champions.

The Albany Patroons are on the brink of a championship in The Basketball League. They will take on the Shreveport Mavericks in the best of three championship series which begins on Saturday night in Shreveport. Game 2 and if necessary 3 would be both played at the Washington Avenue Armory next Wednesday and Thursday. The Patroons are a perfect 18-0 at home and the term home court advantage couldn't be represented better than with them. The crowds have been awesome this season and I expect the biggest crowds yet next week. Here is my quick take on this from the Times Union:

In a rather ironic concert moment, a fight broke out in the crowd during the Eagles set at a BST concert in Hyde Park while, of all things, the band was performing the song "Take It Easy." Clearly not taking a lead from what was happening onstage, the scuffle took...

The forecast for the 4th of July weekend in the capital Region is calling for temperatures near 100 on Saturday and in the 80's and 90's the rest of the weekend. With the heat we need to take some precautions like staying hydrated, finding a place too keep cool and not leaving our kids in a locked car while you go shopping.

Tim McGraw is one of the biggest names in country music, but to three young women, he's just Dad. The country singer and his wife Faith Hill are parents to daughters Gracie, 25, Maggie, 23, and Audrey, 20 and just like any father out there, McGraw couldn't be more proud of them.

There are plenty of 80s rock and hair metal bands coming to the Capital Region and New York as a whole, but what about the 80s pop? Sting, REO Speedwagon, Styx, and Loverboy are playing SPAC. Great White, Tesla, Foreigner, and Night Ranger are already announced for the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse.

Mark Appel has lived an entire lifetime over the past decade. Once a highly-touted pitching prospect, Appel was at the top of the baseball world when he was chosen first overall by the Houston Astros in 2013. As every elite pitcher in baseball does, he came to the Capital Region to pitch for the Tri-City ValleyCats in 2013.

One person was stabbed, one man was shot and killed, and a community in Upstate NY is in shock, disbelief, and feeling heartbroken following a harrowing incident at an Upstate New York Stewart's location. On Wednesday morning, police in Saranac Lake, New York say they responded to a call about...

New York State probably has more famous and top-rated restaurants than any other state. Arguably, many of them are in New York City. But the Upstate region is no piker when it comes to fine places to eat. You can find award-winning restaurants in the big cities like Syracuse, Albany, Binghamton, and Buffalo, and also you can find them in smaller towns and villages. Little "off the grid" places.

Many in the Capital Region are breathing slightly easier as gas prices have continued creeping downward over the last two weeks, but a massive fuel theft is leaving small business owners on edge. According to AAA, there’s been a six-cent decrease in the week leading up to the July 4th...

Within the first six months of 2022, New York State Police seized 98 percent more guns than the prior year. Governor Kathy Hochul released the figures during a recent press conference. Following a meeting of the Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns at the New York State Intelligence Center in East Greenbush, Gov. Hochul, who just won the Democratic primary for Governor, spoke about the increase in seizures.

Yesterday, June 29, 2022, was National Camera Day. National Camera Day is a holiday that commemorates not only the camera but also the pictures it produces. The camera is a tool that’s been around since the 11th century—if the camera obscura is counted as the earliest incarnation of this device. It’s a tool that’s evolved over the past few centuries to become the powerful tool that it is.

With a holiday weekend upon us this would be a great time for a day trip! Destination unknown! Pick a direction and go! North, South, East or West!. I will help you with starter suggestions on where to go. These are some of my favorite daytrips from the Capital Region. With the average gas price sitting just under $5/gallon I will keep these destinations within 2 hours from Albany.