In Region 2 — New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands — the spread of the new Omicron sublineage XBB.1.5 is even more pronounced than nationwide. For the week between Dec. 25 and 31, the once-dominant BA.5 is now in fifth place, causing just 1.6 percent of new cases, while XBB.1.5 makes up a whopping 72.2 percent of new cases.

Guilderland on Dec. 6 passed its own law that prohibits clear-cutting of one acre or more unless that was part of an approved permit or site plan — or sustainable forestry practice. Supervisor Peter Barber on Friday said the town’s new law would apply to the Prime Capital Development project but said it would “not add new ammunition” to the regulations already in place.

Jeff Thomas, who owns the post office building on Park Street that backs up to his depot property, said he has been working with the United States Postal Service, which wants to expand the Altamont office, on a plan to build a new post office behind the current one.

The federal Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in August, “had a big sustainability portion,” said Michael Hamor, “and so on-site solar actually makes more financial sense now.”

On Monday, New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, warned consumers of price gouging of children’s painkillers and fever reducers since demand has increased. Not only are COVID cases ticking up but cases of flu and respiratory syncytial virus are spiking this year in children since many of them have been isolated or masked for two years.

It was my daughter’s birthday and I wanted to bake her favorite cake this year — chocolate-zucchini.

I often write late and then do household chores after. I had all the ingredients I needed except the zucchini.

NEW SCOTLAND — Paul Steinkamp wishes that, when he was a child, someone had taught him how to fold a piece of paper in half.

As he talks about the art and science of origami, which he came to late in life, he sounds like a poet.

Albany County is investing $160,000 in the Eviction Prevention and Intervention Collaborative, known as EPIC, that will help county residents facing eviction with legal assistance, referrals, and information.

The school board’s Dec. 6 meeting began with district resident Sara Kate Kanter describing the ThoughtExchange as “unkind and unhelpful.”

Most board members first learned of Chief McNally’s offer, made in August, at their Nov. 15 meeting where some expressed concerns that students of color may feel intimidated by an officer or felt that the money — if it became a permanent position funded by the district — could better be spent elsewhere. Consequently, students were surveyed.