Don Rittner believes that the Altamont Fair, with its many museums and long-standing traditions, can fill the gap left by schools that no longer teach civics or history. He’s writing a book on the fair’s 125-year history.

ALBANY COUNTY — The sheriff’s office here is among 13 local law-enforcement agencies across New York to receive a total of $1 million for body-worn cameras.

The Albany County Sheriff’s Office will receive $69,151 for 43 body-worn camera systems, six body-worn camera docking stations, and other accessories.

Every vote was unanimous at Monday’s Berne-Knox-Westerlo School Board meeting as members basked in good news — ranging from success including special-need students in general-education classrooms to securing expected state aid for $20 million in capital improvements.

Shopping on sites like Craigslist, with classified ads, peaks leading up to the holidays and police advise meeting in a well-lit, populated area for transactions — perhaps at a police station.

ALBANY COUNTY — Dennis Grant, who had five previous burglary-related convictions, pleaded guilty to another one on Friday. He had tried to break out of jail in 2009 after an earlier burglary arrest.

ALBANY COUNTY — Democratic incumbent Assemblywoman Patricia A. Fahy bested her two rivals by a wide margin on Tuesday.

The blue wave that gave Democrats control of the State Senate did not lift all boats.

Republican George Amedore won a third term representing the 46th Senate District. He bested his Democratic opponent, Pat Courtney Strong, a newcomer to politics, with 55 percent of the vote.

Settlement money from the nation’s largest banks over misconduct that contributed to the housing crisis is being given to land banks across the state to revitalize communities with blighted or abandoned properties.

GUILDERLAND — Amy Castillo and her husband realized their dream a few years ago when they were able to buy a farm on Brandle Road.

They named it Kava La Reina Farm. “Kava” means “bee” in Guarani, an indigenous language of South America and an official language of Paraguay.  So their farm’s name translates to “queen bee.”