Archive » February 2021 » News

Altamont Police reform begins

by Sean Mulkerrin

Speaking about the white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on a cuffed George Floyd until he was dead, Altamont Police Todd Pucci was unequivocal, “That officer should go to jail; what he did was murder.”

Berne clerk won’t seek re-election, criticizes treatment by Dems

by Noah Zweifel

Berne Town Clerk Anita Clayton said that the town’s combative political atmosphere isn’t why she’s retiring, but that she found a recent interview with the Berne Democratic Committee “very upsetting.” 

Ranger rescues fallen skier at Five Rivers

BETHLEHEM — A 61-year-old woman who fell while skiing on Monday at Five Rivers was rescued by Forest Ranger Tyler Mitchell.

Westerlo man charged with DWI

NEW SCOTLAND — Aaron M. Ross of Westerlo, 41, was charged on Friday, Feb. 5, with aggravated driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, according to a release from State Police in New Scotland.

Sunday sign-up tops 250K as New Yorkers with comorbidities are now eligible for vaccine

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Over 1.6 million New Yorkers were screened online on Valentine’s Day, which is 13 percent of all screenings since January. The average wait for scheduling an appointment was 13 minutes and 36 seconds.

Cuomo says ‘void we created’ with lack of nursing home info was filled with disinformation, causing anxiety

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Andrew Cuomo began his lengthy response at Monday’s press conference by saying, “Emergency powers have nothing to do with nursing homes.” On the balance of power, Cuomo said that the State Legislature could reverse any of his actions with a vote of 50 percent in the Assembly and the Senate. “They have never reversed a single action,” he said.

Governors seek clarity on feds’ vaccination programs

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

On Monday, the National Governors Association, which is chaired by Andrew Cuomo, sent a letter to President Joe Biden, asking for better coordination between and more clarity on state and federal COVID-19 vaccina

NYC patient tests positive for South African COVID-19 strain

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

The South African strain of COVID-19, known as B.1.351, was first confirmed in the United States on Jan. 28 in South Carolina. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage that tracks three variant strains, as of Monday evening, there were a total of 17 cases of B.1.351 across eight states.

Appeals court in Guilderland-Pyramid lawsuit allows case to cut the line 

by Sean Mulkerrin

The order from Justice Christine M. Clark of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department means that both sides are to have all of their paperwork filed before March 11.

County awards grants to 132 small businesses hurt by the pandemic

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

More than half of the grants are going to minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, and veteran-owned businesses, said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy.

Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy moves to dismiss Switzkill Farm suit

by Noah Zweifel

The conservancy’s attorney argues that the lawsuit is untimely and based on a misunderstanding of New York State Town Law, and that not all relevant parties were included in the demand for relief.

‘Younger age groups’ dying of COVID-19

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Given the continued decline in hospitalization and infection rates throughout New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday signed an executive order extending closing times from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. for bars, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers, casinos, and billiards halls, as well as other establishments licensed by the State Liquor Authority.

Infection rate continues to decline as another county resident succumbs to COVID-19

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Eleven more cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of COVID-19 — the highly transmissible variant first identified in the United Kingdom — have been identified in New York State, bringing the state’s total to 70.

Another COVID-19 death as rates decline

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Last May, men accounted for 43 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Albany County while women accounted for 47 percent. “It’s flipped since springtime,” said County Executive Daniel McCoy. Now, women account for more than 54 percent of deaths and men for less than 46 percent.

Calls for ending governor’s emergency powers follow DeRosa comments

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

When the first Shaker Place resident died of COVID-19, Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said, he was faced with a choice of reporting it or not. He said he had learned from being at war, “It eventually comes out.”

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