ALBANY COUNTY — The pool on the former College of Saint Rose campus is now open for public use, Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy announced on Jan. 8.

Those wishing to use the pool have to register for classes or for open lap swimming.

When a business promotes itself as a “med spa” or as offering “med spa” services, it has to be licensed as a medical facility and licensed professionals must be performing the services.

On Jan. 7, the New York State Thruway Authority announced the launch of its Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, a system‑wide initiative to improve roadway and employee safety, strengthen emergency response and reduce serious injuries and fatalities across the 570-mile Thruway system.

As part of its Respiratory Surveillance Report, the state’s health department maps activity for each county statewide. In Albany County currently, as in the rest of the state, there are more than 40 cases of influenza per 100,000 of population. For COVID-19, Albany County has 20 to 39.9 cases per 100,000 of population. And for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, known as RSV Albany County currently has  0.01 to 7.09 cases per 100,000 of population.

Applications are now being accepted for $67.5 million in capital funding to help municipalities and nonprofit organizations construct, expand, and renovate public playgrounds for all abilities across New York state.

Governor Kathy Hochul said almost 1 percent of adolescents in the United States — “that’s 2 million” — have reported using kratom in the past year. In New York state alone, Hochul said, overdose of kratom was listed as the cause of death for 100 people.

“For more than a decade we have been working to minimize road salt use as much as possible and the results speak for themselves,” said DOT Commissioner Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez. “Now, it’s time to expand the battle. We encourage everyone to implement judicious salt management practices that minimize salt use while still maintaining safety

The century-old college, facing financial hardship, closed in the summer of 2024. The Pine Hills Land Authority, backed by Albany County, then won the bid to buy the 48-acre campus for $35 million.