On Wednesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that state aid would be withheld from schools that remain open in so-called “red zones,” where the coronavirus is prevalent, and, further, that municipalities in those red zones that are not enforcing closures will also have state aid withheld.

While Governor Andrew Cuomo is still being criticized for large numbers of nursing-home deaths during the height of the pandemic in New York, an association of long-term care facilities is pushing for less restrictive regulations for testing and for visitors.

Jacob Crawford, Albany County’s new Democratic chairman, said of Randy Bashwinger, the new county GOP chairman, “He’s interested in taking his brand of politics to the suburban towns in the county to try to win some of those races. I would look forward to the competition. I think the Trump style of politics is not what the suburban voters of Albany County are interested in or are looking for, and I look forward to taking the competition up to him in the Hilltowns.”

“There are some states that have followed the politics of denial and have turned it into science fiction,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday. “The theory was: If you test less, you will find fewer cases, and if you find fewer cases, you have less of a problem. That’s almost a laughable concept.”

Albany County sent out a notice on Saturday, stating, “The Albany County Department of Health has been flooded with calls from people asking about the COVID-19 investigation associated with DePaula Chevrolet at 785 Central Avenue, Albany.”

ALBANY COUNTY — In the midst of Wednesday afternoon’s fierce rain and wind storm, the county’s 9-1-1 center processed over 2,600 calls within two hours, according to Sheriff Craig Apple.

One of those calls was placed by a woman in labor, giving birth to twins. 

“We all need to realize our individual behavior will play into what happens in the coming days and weeks,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen at Friday morning’s press briefing.

Albany County sees clusters of high infection rates downstate as “a warning sign” locally.

Fighting the coronavirus outbreaks in hotspots, mostly downstate, was the governor’s focus this week while Albany County, far from being a hotspot, continued with an uptick in cases.

“It was scary,” said Bill Quay of the storm that tore through his Sunset Drive neighborhood. “I’ve never seen it blow so hard. The rain was coming sideways.”