Archive » December 2020 » News

Another COVID-19 case at GHS brings district’s total to 30

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

GUILDERLAND — For the third day in a row, Superintendent Marie Wiles has sent out a “Dear GCSD Families” email announcing another case of COVID-19 in the Guilderland Central School District.

New Scotland neighbors question impact of solar farm on property value

by Sean Mulkerrin

After examining 400,000 real-estate transactions, a report found that, following the construction of a solar array, homes within one mile of the installation depreciated 1.7 percent. And homes just one-tenth of a mile, 528 feet, away from an installation ended up seeing a 7-percent drop in value.

Berne town and planning boards clash while attorney defends apparent lie

by Noah Zweifel

At the Berne Planning Board’s Dec. 3 meeting, town attorney Javid Afzali lost his temper with planning board member Larry Zimmerman, a former attorney who criticized the town board for breaking the law. Afzali told Zimmerman, “You can sit there and yap all you want … There’s nothing you can say that I’m interested in.” 

Announcing 5 more COVID deaths, county officials warn against Christmas travel, gatherings

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

“It’s not going to get better in any likelihood between now and Christmas,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen of surging COVID cases. “It’s likely that we will continue to see cases increase and that they will result in increased hospitalizations and unfortunately increased deaths in the county. The only way we can prevent this from happening is from individual behavior.”

Guilderland district announces 29th COVID-19 case

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

GUILDERLAND — On Thursday evening, another COVID-19 case was announced by the superintendent of Guilderland schools, Marie Wiles, in an email to district families.

Discover the Night

Photo: Play in the Pine Bush — Virtually

Discover the Night is a virtual opportunity to experience nighttime in the globally-rare pine bush provided online by the Albany Pine Bush Preserve until Dec. 31 at www.AlbanyPineBush.org/discover-the-night. Preserve staff and guest videos feature local wildlife, storytelling, night hiking and more, online visitors may also play interactive games, or download activities and nature-craft instructions. The site includes something for all ages.

At GCSD: 12 new COVID cases this week bring total to 28

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

GUILDERLAND — All but one of Guilderland’s seven schools has now had a case of COVID-19 this school year as 12 new cases were announced this week — seven of them were announced Wednesday evening. Only Pine Bush Elementary School as yet remains untouched.

Week XXXVIII: First vaccines expected December 15 for health-care workers and nursing homes

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

The county’s 38th week of dealing with COVID-19 was a week of broken records — for daily new cases of the virus, for hospitalizations, and for deaths.

New Scotland Town Hall employee tests positive for COVID-19

by Sean Mulkerrin

The employee, who works at New Scotland Town Hall, was notified mid-morning of Monday, Nov. 30, that he had tested positive for the virus. He was last in the building on Nov. 25.

Three more COVID-19 cases at Voorheesville schools

by Sean Mulkerrin

The schools will remain open for in-person instruction.

BKW announces second and third COVID cases

by Noah Zweifel

Superintendent Timothy Mundell said that the Berne-Knox-Westerlo secondary student and district employee who tested positive for COVID-19 were last in the school on Nov. 24.

Elizabeth Whalen

State metrics change as Albany County is on cusp of yellow zone

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

ALBANY COUNTY — On Tuesday, Albany County announced a record number of new infections — 159 — and also a record number of hospitalizations — 76 — as well as two more deaths from COVID-19.

It’s official: Land conservancy buys Bender melon farm

by Sean Mulkerrin

The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy had set an ambitious $1.2 million fund-raising goal, which it exceeded when loans and grants were taken into account, to purchase the historic farm, but the not-for-profit’s director, Mark King, declined to say how much the conservancy paid for the 198-acre property at the corner of routes 85 and 85A in New Scotland.

Second lawsuit filed over Guilderland Planning Board’s approval of Pyramid project

by Sean Mulkerrin

Save the Pine Bush’s Nov. 27 court filing states that it is aware of the Nov. 20 court decision that halted the project, but “nonetheless brings this action in the interest of preserving” its rights “in the event that” Pyramid is able to move forward with the project, for example, “in the event of reversal or dismissal of the prior decision of this Court.”

Tague beat Kraat in nearly every county, updated election results show

by Noah Zweifel

Updated 102nd Assembly District election results show Assemblyman Christopher Tague, a Republican, far ahead of newcomer challenger Democrat Betsy Kraat.

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