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Westerlo seeking to charter its Heritage Museum

by Noah Zweifel

As it works to formally establish the Heritage Museum as its own legal entity, the Westerlo Town Board is likely to create more overlap between the museum, which is a public organization, and the local historical society, which is a private organization, by creating a unified board. 

Baron to appeal lower court ruling

by Sean Mulkerin

Former Voorheesville varsity girls’ basketball coach Robert Baron will appeal the lower court’s ruling dismissing his case against the school school district. 

County uses arena football to promote COVID-19 vaccination

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

The county will run a COVID-19 vaccination clinic on May 29 at the Beaver Street entrance of the Times Union Center where anyone can get vaccinated — with the one-shot Johnson & Johnson — and also get a free ticket for a future game. A Vax Block Party will be held on the mezzanine with live entertainment and food and drinks for the fully vaccinated.

Stuck truck dislodged after six hours at Slingerlands underpass

SLINGERLANDS — A tractor trailer got stuck Thursday night as it drove west on Route 85 and was too tall to fit beneath the underpass of the Albany County Rail Trail Bridge, closing off traffic until it was dislodged about six hours later.

County and state launch more pop-up vaccination sites, free Scratch & Vax tickets with $5M jackpot offered at some state sites

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said on Thursday that points of dispensing, or PODs, will be set up in Albany on Saturday and in Ravena on Wednesday. “We know bringing small PODs directly to residents in their own neighborhoods is the best way to ensure trust and get to herd immunity, and we’re moving in the right direction,” McCoy said.

New York follows CDC, relaxes rules on masks and distancing

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

New York State’s guidance, just like the CDC guidance, is still requiring masks and social distancing in schools serving pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students; on public transit, in homeless shelters, in correctional facilities, in nursing homes, and in health-care settings. Unvaccinated individuals, under both CDC and state guidance, must wear masks in all public settings.

Week LXII: County vaccinates 12- to 15-year-olds, reaches out to the 40% of residents who are unvaccinated

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Albany County’s vaccination rate has slowed. “It’s now an increase by 2 percent each week. In the beginning, we were literally at 4 percent or more … We’re hitting that wall. We need to get more people vaccinated,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy.

Eighty percent of BKW voters approve $24M budget

by Noah Zweifel

Voters were largely in favor of the district’s $23.7 million budget and its 2-percent tax decrease, a $504,000 bus proposition. The lone board of education candidate, Lisa Joslin, will replace Randy Bashwinger, who did not seek re-election.

Knox supervisor not seeking re-election

by Noah Zweifel

Knox Supervisor Vasilios Lefkaditis is not seeking re-election after serving five years in the role. Candidates now are Russell Pokorny, on the Democratic line, and Michelle Viola-Straight, on the Conservative line.

$27M VCSD budget passes with ease; new library trustee elected

by Sean Mulkerrin

Over 75 percent of Voorheesville School District voters approved a $27 million budget for 2021-22.

Nails dumped on local roads provoke police investigation, flat tires

by Sean Mulkerrin

Albany County Sheriff's Inspector J.T. Campbell said there had been approximately 20 different incidents where someone had dumped nails on a Guilderland or New Scotland road.

GPL $4M budget passes easily, 2 incumbent trustees ousted by 4 newcomers

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

In a six-way race for four seats on the library’s board of trustees, the two incumbents — Philip Metzger and Herbert Hennings — were ousted while newcomers Vanessa Threatte, Antonio Rivera, Norina Melita, and Michael Hawrylchak were elected.

GCSD $105M budget, $1M bus prop sail through

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Last year, with mail-in ballots, well over 7,000 people voted in the Guilderland school elections. On Tuesday, numbers returned to under 2,600.

The $104,979,570 budget carries a 1.89-percent increase in spending over the current year’s budget and will result in a 1.28-percent tax levy increase, which is at the district’s levy limit.

Through Community Caregivers, students help elderly age in place

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

GUILDERLAND — Community Caregivers is working with medical students and social-work students at area colleges and universities to help seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The students receive academic “service learning” credit for their efforts.

Berne woman dies after crash, Westerlo man charged with DWI

by Noah Zweifel

Lisa Sperry, 55, of Berne, died Tuesday after sustaining injuries in a three-vehicle crash on Sunday caused by Andrew R. Gibson, 42, of Westerlo, state police say. Gibson was charged with driving while intoxicated.

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