WESTERLO — Andrew R. Gibson, 42, pleaded not guilty before Justice Kenneth Mackey in Westerlo Town Court on Wednesday night to felony charges that followed a fatal May 16 crash.

State Senator George Amedore, a Republican who did not seek re-election in 2020, sponsored a $700,000 grant for improvements to Tawasentha Park while Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy backed a $375,000 grant that will pay for bike paths, better sound at the senior center, and an upgraded platform at the Altamont library.

Flexible grants of $5,000 up to $50,000 will be made available to eligible small businesses and small for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations. The grants can be used for operating expenses, including payroll, rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, personal protective equipment, or other business expenses incurred during the pandemic.

Once the state hits the 70-percent mark, the governor said, “We can lift the capacity restriction, social distancing, the hygiene protocols, the health screenings, the potential tracing. Masks will only be required as recommended by the CDC.” 

In November, Amanda Knasel and Brian Sheridan will face the victors in the June 22 Democratic primary. Both candidates spoke to The Enterprise this week about the importance of listening to a wide variety of viewpoints in town and striving for unity.

“I knew I’d live,” said Gabriel Zullo, who is in remission after more than a year battling Ewing sarcoma. 

The state’s new rules, for indoors, “strongly encourage” but do not require masks for students or campers and staff who are not fully vaccinated. Outdoors, masks are not required although students, campers, and staff who are not fully vaccinated are “encouraged” to wear a mask in certain higher-risk circumstances. Both indoors and outdoors, students, campers, and staff who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks. Finally, schools and camps may choose to implement stricter standards.

As part of the initiative, which will focus on arts like music and theater, as well as education, caregivers for the elderly will be able to leave the people at the campus for a day or even a week when they need respite.

As of Wednesday evening, 62.2 percent of Albany County’s residents had received at least one dose of vaccine as had 73.0 percent of county residents 18 or older. The number of residents attending the large points of dispensing or PODs run by the county has greatly decreased; this week, just 12 doses were administered at the county’s POD. The county has shifted its focus to community-based PODs.

“We’ll start small and we’ll work our way up,” said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. “I firmly believe, if we can knock off a lot of the low-level stuff, a lot of the big stuff will take care of itself. And we want the criminals to know you are not welcome in the city of Albany.”