The United States is now averaging over 100,000 new cases of COVID-19 a day, which hasn’t happened since February, the CDC noted on Monday. The seven-day average of new cases has doubled in the last two weeks as has the death rate.

Albany County is nearing an infection rate of 5 percent as 80 new cases of COVID-19 were reported Saturday.

Guilderland is “strongly encouraging” face masks be worn indoors and Albany County, starting Monday, will require anyone in a county building to be masked — both regardless of vaccination status.

Winemakers, since 1993, have been allowed to manufacture and sell wine while waiting for a permanent license. Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo’s bill, if signed into law, would allow all craft beverage makers — breweries, distilleries, cideries, and wineries — to apply for a six-month permit to get their business up and running, giving the State Liquor Authority 45 days to approve or deny a submitted application.

On Sunday, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that Albany County has crossed over the line from “moderate” to “substantial” transmission of COVID-19, which triggers the new CDC guidance that even vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in public. The state has issued no directives on whether this guidance must be followed, with the governor saying it is up to individual municipalities to decide. As of Wednesday, Albany County — still in the substantial transmission zone — had issued no directives.

During late summer, Asian longhorned beetles — an invasive species — emerge as adults and are active outside of their host tree.

The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation wants to locate infestations of the beetles before they cause serious damage to the state’s forests and street trees.

ALBANY COUNTY — Altamont Police Detective Christopher Laurenzo is warning villagers to lock their cars during Fair Week.

The Altamont Fair, which serves Albany, Schenectady, and Greene counties, runs this year from Wednesday, Aug. 18, through Sunday, Aug. 22.

ALTAMONT — In a red-hot housing market, real-estate agent Ryan Clark came up with an idea to make his client stand out.

He noticed police uniforms in the garage of the Guilderland home being sold by Joseph Mazzone, an officer with the Altamont Police.

Nine new vaccination sites will open, including one at the Empire State Plaza’s concourse in Albany. With the first wave of the pandemic, in March of 2020, Cuomo used a state of emergency to issue executive orders. Currently, with no state of emergency declared, he said,  “Local governments are now trying to figure out how to deal with the local guidance.”

For the seven days running from July 25 to July 31, the CDC says, Albany County has an average of 54.34 cases per 100,000 population. Other nearby counties that, as of Sunday, were labeled as having “substantial” transmission were: Rensselaer at 66.79, Saratoga at 88.75, Schenectady at 59.24, and Schoharie at 54.84 per 100,000 population.