ALTAMONT — Bernard Melewski has spent most of his life working as an environmental lobbyist, and eight years writing a book about it.

“Inside the Green Lobby: The Fight to Save the Adirondack Park” has just been published by the State University of New York Press.

KNOX — Citizens Financial Group has contributed $20,000 to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to support the operation of the Patroon Land Farm.

The goal with the executive orders for both poliovirus and monkeypox, as stated also in the lapsed COVID order, is to help municipalities and counties test for the disease and vaccinate against it “to prevent the disease from continuing to spread.”

GUILDERLAND — Two residents of West Old State Road are distressed with KT Tree Services, which they say has been illegally dumping tree waste on property adjacent to theirs.

The number of meals provided by the pantry has gone from 21,636 last year to a projected 36,274 this year.

VOORHEESVILLE — Life and art are often intertwined for Chris Howard.

“We have a large number of families that don’t drive whose children attend Guilderland Elementary School,” said Principal Allan Lockwood. “Up to now, they have not been able to easily come to school for events like parent conferences or special activities that we have outside of the school hours.” With the new sidewalk, he said, those parents can “be much more equal partners with the school community and that means more than I can ever express.”

“Starting today, masks will be optional,” Kathy Hochul said at Wednesday’s press event, referring to their use in “shelters, correctional facilities, detention centers, and mass transit.” New Yorkers will continue to have to wear masks in hospitals and other health-care settings, in nursing homes, and at adult-care facilities

The National Center for Education Statistics issued what is commonly known as the Nation’s Report Card on Sept. 1, which showed that nationwide, reading and math scores for 9-year-olds fell between 2020 and 2022 by unprecedented levels.

“This AmeriCorps, like the Peace Corps, like VISTA [Volunteers In Service To America], is a national movement to try to help improve our country,” said Community Caregivers’ Executive Director Lee Lounsbury. “I don’t want to get political but, if people are looking for a way to make a difference, this is the way to do it.”