Archive » May 2020 » News

County seeks foster parents who will work with biological parents

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

“If you can open your heart and open your home, we would love to have you foster a child,” said Moira Manning, Albany County’s commissioner for the Department for Children, Youth and Families, giving this phone number to start the process: 518-447-7515.

State expands COVID-19 testing at UAlbany site

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

“We received word overnight,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen at Friday’s press briefing of expanded testing at the University at Albany. “They’re looking to cast a much broader net of people that need to be screened or tested for COVID-19.”

At GCSD: Budget, grades, graduation all ‘up in the air’

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

“Every bit of every part of the work we do is rethought and needs to constantly be rethought again,” says Marie Wiles, superintendent of the Guilderland schools.

Courtrooms are empty while arraignments are conducted virtually

by Melissa Hale-Spence

Prosecutors and defense attorneys along with judges no longer gather in a courtroom for an arraignment but rather each works from his or her own home or office, connecting through Skype.

Cuomo says New York will work with Gates Foundation to ‘reimagine education’

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Unlike Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement earlier in the week that schools would not reopen this year, which was hailed by educators, his plan to have the state work with the Gates Foundation “to reimagine education” met with resistance from some groups of educators.

The poet and the virus

by Noah Zweifel

RENSSELAERVILLE — On April 1, local poet Tom Corrado, of Berne, published “A Piece of Nothing,” a poem that on its face describes the experience of isolation, and the ensuing flights of fancy that provide solace in imagination. It doesn’t mention the virus, or quarantine, or any word that even suggests being alone.

New Scotland getting its zoning ducks in a row

by Sean Mulkerrin

New Scotland is taking its zoning laws and placing them in one document.

Villagers submit their own plans for Stewart's shop

by Sean Mulkerrin

        The Altamont Planning Board will next meet on May 19 to consider the proposed Stewart’s project, but the company has already responded to questions raised at the board’s April meeting. 

Nurses ‘are our front-line warriors’ says director

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Working with other staff, Kathleen Dethomasis said, nurses call each person who tests positive for COVID-19, collects their contact information, and provides them with education and strategies to prevent further spread of the disease, including adherence to isolation and quarantine orders.

Week VIII: With plans to reopen afoot, Cuomo asks: ‘How much is a human life worth?’

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

In New York State, none of the 10 regions Governor Andrew Cuomo has defined has been able to meet all seven requirements for reopening. 

Friends of Conkling Hall to expand programming with grant money

by Noah Zweifel

Using money granted by the New York State Council of the Arts Decentralization Program, Friends of Conkling Hall hopes to expand its programming to include a wider variety of arts and artists.

County ‘numbers are steady’ as two more die of COVID-19

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

“Overall … our numbers are steady,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen at Tuesday’s county press briefing. “We have done a pretty good job flattening our curve and we have not seen issues with surge capacity in our hospitals, similar to downstate.”

As region steps away from reopening, fund offers business grants

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

The Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region has started a grant program for small businesses hurt by the pandemic. The county executive says he is confident the Capital Region can “in a timely manner” meet the seven steps required by the governor to reopen businesses. 

Cuomo outlines guidelines for reopening

On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo outlined additional guidelines for when regions can re-open. The state will monitor these four core factors to determine if a region can re-open:

How many deaths are acceptable for a society to re-open in the midst of the pandemic?

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

In some countries, such as Sweden, the thinking is, “If we know this is a disease that disproportionately affects older individuals, why don’t we just tell our older individuals to stay home?” The younger people, then, can continue going to work, said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen. “The problem is … there will be deaths,” said Whalen. “The question is: How comfortable is a society with that?”

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