ALBANY COUNTY — While this summer’s tropical storms, Irene and Lee, ravaged much of the area, leaving death and destruction in their wake, by the close of the year, many residents were in the process of rebuilding.

BERNE — Three students were sent home from school with headaches on Dec. 22 after fumes from epoxy wafted into classrooms.

As part of the building project at Berne-Knox-Westerlo, the cafeteria is being improved and epoxy was used on the floor there, causing strong odors.

Give what matters

People talk a lot about giving at Christmastime. Usually, we Americans focus on buying gifts. The National Retail Foundation estimates we’ll spend over $469 billion this year on Christmas shopping.

GUILDERLAND — Blind children on the other side of the world are reading Braille books put together by Michael Morawski.

GUILDERLAND —The superintendent’s request that police dogs be allowed to search high-school lockers and storage areas for illegal substances divided the school board.

“I really disagree with this whole concept,” said board member Denise Eisele at last week’s meeting.

NEW SCOTLAND — Last week’s story about an unsolved home burglary on Route 156 in town was all too familiar for another New Scotland resident.

Library is read to expand

GUILDERLAND — Trustees of the Guilderland Public Library are unanimous in wanting to bring their $11.8 million expansion plan to public vote in 2012.

The truth goes marching on

Life ebbs and flows in our newsroom.

NEW SCOTLAND — On Monday, an elderly couple returned from a two-hour shopping trip at Stuyvesant Plaza to find their New Scotland home burglarized.

Their home is located on a main road, Route 156, between the Voorheesville firehouse and Indian ladder Farms.