A large warehouse for BBL Carlton caught fire on Friday afternoon and its roof collapsed.

An acrid odor filled the air as a Colonie police officer stopped traffic about a mile from the site on Kings Road. At 4:15 p.m., he said he'd been on duty for two hours.

The old idea of the American melting pot — in which public schools played a central role in shaping a single American ideal from the many cultures that have created the United States of America — has happily been replaced by a tossed salad metaphor: People from diverse places with equally diverse cultures have come together as one.

Harold Maio, Fort Myers Florida

Scott Simmons, Windsor, Colorado

Cassie Zieno, Vice Chair Guilderland Democratic Committee

GUILDERLAND — “Computers are becoming more and more pivotal to the education of our youth,” said James Connors, who works with the Intel Retail Edge Program.

There are pitfalls in using a fund balance or reserve accounts to balance a budget, Andrew Van Alstyne cautioned. “The metaphor we use is a fiscal cliff,” he said. Continued use of these funds to balance a budget creates a gap that ultimately leads to budget cuts.

Are there consequences for not following the rules when putting on events in Altamont?