While COVID cases downstate decline, upstate cases still surge

“While New York as a whole is showing signs of statewide COVID infections possibly hitting their peak, that is clearly not the case for Albany County as we report nearly 1,600 new positive cases in a single day, the highest increase we’ve ever experienced since the pandemic started nearly two years ago,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy.

Opinion

Democracy withers out of public view

For decades, at the start of a new year, we’ve always gotten a thrill covering what many may consider routine — the swearing in of new leaders for the towns we cover and the appointments that follow, an annual and reassuring ritual in a democracy.

Guilderland

For Kathy Bentley, curling is about making friends as much as winning

Curling, says Kathy Bentley, is like playing chess on ice. The ancient Scottish game is not just about technique and precision, but also about strategy. Listen to this week's podcast.

Sports

Photos: Guilderland Dominates in Springfield, Bulldogs Shine

The Guilderland and Berne-Knox-Westerlo indoor track teams traveled on Jan. 8 for the Ed Cepiel Springfield Invitational at Springfield College. The invitational hosted 26 teams, only two were outside Section 2.

Regional

State makes it optional to trace COVID-19, Albany County follows suit

“We will no longer be doing contact tracing because the numbers of new daily positive cases is too high to keep up with in a time sensitive way,” Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen wrote in an email Wednesday morning, answering Enterprise questions. “We ask that those who test positive notify those who have been around them so they may take appropriate action,” Whalen said.

New Scotland

VCSD looking at 5-year, $19M upgrade plan

Voorheesville Superintendent Frank Macri noted not everything on the previous five-year condition survey got done. “I know we looked at two five-year [surveys] previously,” he said, “and there were still things that were on those five-year plans that weren’t accomplished … So just because they’re on a five-year plan doesn’t mean they have to get finished.”

Hilltowns

Berne considers animal-control law, public pleased

The Berne Town Board held a public hearing on a new animal-control law this week and received mostly minor suggestions for alteration from a public that seemed largely pleased with the proposed regulations.