The state’s largest teachers’ union is suing the state over withheld aid to schools.

The University of Albany is now more than half-way to the metric of COVID-19 cases that would force classes to be given entirely remotely.

Of the 24 new positive COVID-19 cases reported Sunday morning in Albany County, 16 are connected to the University at Albany. 

Government programs were announced this week to help small-business owners, manufacturers, child-care centers, farmers, and workers who lost wages — all due to the pandemic.

The spike of COVID-19 cases at UAlbany can be traced back to athletes and to off-campus housing in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany, said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy.

VOORHEESVILLE — “The Coronavirus pandemic is still with us and your community needs your help,” said Gary Kubitz, pastor with the First United Methodist Church of Voorheesville who organized a coalition to help the community when the coronavirus pandemic first hit.

With no federal bail-out on the horizon Wednesday, local Assembly members and the state’s largest teachers’ union called for New York to raise taxes on the wealthy to help poor school districts hurt by aid cuts in the wake of the pandemic.

“Whether you have signs or symptoms, please go out and get tested …,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy. “It’s the only way we’re going to track this. It’s the only way we’re going to know if the virus is still lingering out there … It didn’t go away.”

Tension between reopening and increased transmission of COVID-19 grows.

The state and the county continue to urge residents — even those without COVID-19 symptoms — to get tested for the disease despite new CDC guidelines that say otherwise.