The institution of slavery in New York dates to 1627 when 22 enslaved Africans were brought to present-day Manhattan by the Dutch West Indies Company. New York was the last northern state to free slaves, not until 1827.

This is known as biocontrol — using natural predators rather than chemicals or cutting trees to curb the hemlock woolly adelgid, which can decimate hemlock forests.

ALTAMONT — The 46th annual three-day Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music and Dance will be held on the Altamont fairgrounds on June 26, 27 and 28 this year.

One of her goals in writing the book, Bakst said, is for people who are not Jewish to read it. “People may have a picture, a fairly stereotypical picture of what a Jewish person is,” she said, “and there’s a whole range of the way it’s expressed.”

Hernandez was an 18-year-old senior at Guilderland High School in 2001 when he shot and killed his mother. He is now 42 and incarcerated in the Upstate Correctional Facility in the town of Malone.

A $1 million federal grant secured by United State Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand was announced. It will support infrastructure improvements at the Patroon Land Farm, which the Food Bank operates and manages.

ALBANY COUNTY — Several local cemeteries are participating in the state’s  third annual “Caring for Your Cemetery Day,” which will take place on Saturday, April 25, and/or Sunday, April 26.

Beacon Island is but one chapter in a larger record — one that begins with an ambitious plan, tracks its collision with reality, and ends with questions about Albany County’s economic development institutions. 

“This will be the biggest year in state history for road paving,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “I’m here to say that we understand the pain and frustration of drivers.”

ALBANY COUNTY — This week, the state announced $10.5 million has been awarded through the federal State Homeland Security Program to increase the preparedness and response capabilities of 80 cities, towns, villages, and counties statewide.

Albany County is receiving a total of $344,396 in three different categories: