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After lawsuit wins, Crossgates saves over $1M annually in property taxes

by Sean Mulkerrin

An Enterprise compiling of Crossgates’ property-tax payments show the mall is due to save millions of dollars due to successfully lowering its assessed value.

Bethlehem renews Heath Farm lease as ambitious project continues

by Noah Zweifel

The town executed a lease agreement at its March meeting that would charge Michael Stanton, of Stanton Farms, LLC,  $45 per acre for 216 tillable acres at the historic Heath Farm property. Stanton Farm, which had already farmed the land under an agreement with the previous property owner, was the only applicant for the lease.

‘It’s not waste, it’s investment’ say food pantry partners at Tonko roundtable

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

With a 23-percent reduction of the emergency program, Paul Tonko said, there will be more reliance on states. That, in turn, he said, would lead to “a huge tax increase” on properties because it “then filters down to the local level.” The tax cut, Tonko said, is “spending dollars on billionaires for a bonanza tax cut.”

‘Kill the cuts’: Protesters rally at UAlbany to ‘save science,’ jobs, lives, and democracy

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

About 50 protesters — union leaders, research scientists, health workers, and students — chanted as they marched through the University at Albany’s uptown campus and then picketed along Washington Avenue on April 8, a national day of action to oppose the Trump administration’s cuts to research, health care, and higher education.

Bethlehem completes Stangle-Nolan project under budget

by Noah Zweifel

Using a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the town of Bethlehem purchased 68 acres from town residents Marilyn Stangle and Betty Nolan, who wanted to protect the land from solar developers. The town had previously approved around $50,000 of its own funds to cover extra expenses, but ended up using just half that. 

The greening of Guilderland

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

Supervisor Peter Barber went through a long list of events happening in town near Earth Day, which is on Tuesday, April 22, this year.

Path construction continues

BETHLEHEM — Work is underway on a path that will connect pedestrians and cyclists in neighborhoods near Cherry Avenue Extension with the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail and businesses located along New Scotland Road.

Burger King sues Guilderland

by Sean Mulkerrin

The six-month drive-thru closure resulted in a $400,000 revenue loss,  the company claims, while repair of the pipe and pumping of the accumulating stormwater cost over $1 million. 

Governor Hochul signs three gun-safety bills into law

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

According to data graphed by the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services, shooting incidents involving injury in Albany County peaked in 2020 at over 120; similarly, the number of shooting victims hit peaked at 100 in 2020 while the number of people killed by guns in Albany County peaked in 2021 at nearly 20. By 2024, those numbers for Albany County had declined to about 60 people injured or hit and fewer than 10 people killed.

Local talent built Laviano Plaza

by Melissa Hale-Spencer

 Laviano is naming his newly completed complex on Western Avenue the Joseph J. Laviano Plaza in honor of his father.

Contest launched for best ‘I Voted’ sticker

ALBANY COUNTY — Students county-wide are invited to enter their artwork in a competition to illustrate “I Voted” stickers to be handed out during the November elections.