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Editor’s note: Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was part of a bipartisan delegation that visited Israel Aug. 8-16. Her office offered The Chronicle a phone interview on Thursday, Aug. 22. Here are excerpts of her responses to questions from Chronicle editor Mark Frost and News Editor Gordon Woodworth.

A: Well, it was my third visit to Israel, my first time …

By Patrick Daley, Chronicle Staff Writer

When I was nine years old, Santa Claus brought me Joe Cool’s Blues, the album of Vince Guiraldi music recorded by trumpet virtuoso Wynton Marsalis and his pianist father, Ellis. The opening track is “Linus and Lucy,” a wild, soulful, dynamic version by Wynton’s septet. “Oh, Good Grief,” a track by Ellis’s trio, is one of the first melodies I learned on piano, sometime …

By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor

Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park in Boston, 83-year-old Lake George Village Mayor Bob Blais threw the ceremonial first pitch before the Red Sox game against the Baltimore Orioles.

“This is the highlight of my career,” Mayor Blais told The Chronicle on the field before the pitch. “I’m nervous as heck.”

Asked if he was going with high heat, he responded, “No, low lob.”

Was …

By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor

Glens Falls will get a taste this week of the highly touted Aurora Games.

Mostly held at the Times Union Center and Albany Capital Center, the week-long event, August 20 to 25, aims to promote women’s sports and showcase high profile Olympic medal winners and other athletes. The event also aims to advocate for women’s empowerment through sport, health, business and networking, organizers tell …

Every now and then, there is the miracle, to be in the presence of genius. Hamilton, the Broadway game-changer on National Tour that’s in residency at Proctors Theater in Schenectady this week affords such an opportunity. We saw it on press night, Wednesday, Aug. 14. Desirous of keeping the buzz high— likely knowing, of course the experience would be positive — they asked we post right away, rather than wait …