A year ago, the CDC updated its guidelines — the first revision in COVID-19 guidelines since 2021 — to target respiratory viruses more broadly and be easier for the public to follow. The “core strategy” outlined by the CDC is to “stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have respiratory virus symptoms that aren’t better explained by another cause.”

“The current restrictions undermine the civil rights of wheelchair users,” said Erica Molina, noting low-income and rural residents are disproportionately affected. She said just two vendors are approved under Medicaid statewide, calling it a “vendor monopoly.” She said, “Vendors profit at the expense of our clients’ health and safety.”

BETHLEHEM — An Albany man was charged on Feb. 18 after, police say, he “threatened a victim by displaying a firearm if the victim did not pay … $100.”

The encounter took place at the Glenmont Walmart, at 311 Route 9W, on Jan. 29, according to a release from Bethlehem Police who worked with Albany Police to make the arrest.

These are the times when individual states can make a difference in protecting their residents from the dismantling of our rights. So can individual municipalities and individual school districts.

“We are going to have to rein in our overall expenses to address these spending challenges in light of net-zero state aid and less then a $2 million tax cap compared with our health-insurance increases,” Andrew Van Alstyne, assistant superintendent for business, told the board.

Superintendent Marie Wiles told the school board on Feb. 11, “This is the first project that will need to take place over many years to transform our facilities into the future-ready environments that they need to be. So this is the start of the conversation, not a one and done.”

GUILDERLAND — A Guilderland school bus was rear-ended by an F-550 work truck on Thursday morning on the Berne-Altamont Road.

There were about 10 middle school students on the bus when the bus driver stopped to pick up a student, according to Guilderland Superintendent Marie Wiles.

Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber, in his 10th year as supervisor, spoke for about three-quarters of an hour at the town hall to a crowd made up primarily of town employees, whose work he praised along with the work of the town board.

“Don’t wait until, you know, the heavy equipment rolls into your neighborhood and then wonder what’s going on. Figure it out and get here,” said Guilderland resident Karen White, encouraging other residents to speak out on the proposed updates for the town’s comprehensive plan.

ALBANY COUNTY — The eastern part of Albany County is under a winter storm watch from Saturday evening, Feb. 8, through Sunday morning, Feb.