On Friday, a statewide association for nursing homes wrote the governor to ask that New York’s requirements for nursing-home visitors and COVID-19 testing be recast to match federal rules released this week.

Cuomo and the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut — all Democrats — issued a joint statement on Thursday, saying, “This 180-degree reversal of COVID-19 testing guidelines is reckless, and not based on science and has the potential to do long-term damage to the institution’s reputation.”

On Monday, the CDC changed its guidelines to exclude testing people who do not show COVID-19 symptoms even if they have been exposed to the virus. In Albany County, and across New York State, the focus for months has been on increasing diagnostic testing, especially to identify the disease in people who may be spreading the disease before they show symptoms or who never show symptoms.

“The whole key to this is to get community involvement so that we foster that trust and fairness that I think we’re losing right now nationwide. It just opens up that dialogue so we’re all kind of on the same page, solving our problems together,” said Guilderland Police Chief Daniel McNally of the newly formed committee that will carry out the governor’s order to reform and reinvent the town’s police department.

GUILDERLAND — On Wednesday, Guilderland Police Department arrested a 15-year-old juvenile male in connection with the Crossgates Mall shooting on July 22.

His name is not being released because of his age.

So far, four Albany County gyms have passed inspection to reopen. The county is urging gym owners to request inspections through its website.

 “For every $100 spent at a local store, approximately $48 stays in the community … If you spend that on a chain store, about $14 stays in the community … That’s a huge difference,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy on Tuesday as he launched a “Shop local” campaign. 

On Monday, the governor issued an executive order to ease mail-in voting, and the state’s Office for the Aging encouraged older New Yorkers, of which there are 4.3 million, to get current with all recommended immunizations.

While the news, statewide and locally, on controlling the spread of coronavirus continues to be good, the fiscal news — a report on state tax receipts shows a 10-percent decline —  continues to be bleak.

Sweeping voter reforms and an extension for protecting tenants were part of the governor’s pandemic response on Thursday.