By Zach Simeone

KNOX — The town board unanimously approved a tentative budget for 2009 at last week’s meeting. The budget calls for a tax-rate increase of roughly a nickel per $1,000 of assessed value.

NEW SCOTLAND — Developers started laying the groundwork for a shopping center here years before the public was presented with a plan this spring.

By Jordan J. Michael

BALLSTON SPA –– Losing a swim meet by one point is uncommon in the sport. “It’s definitely a rare occurrence,” said the Guilderville girls’ swim coach, Brenna Autrey.

Elections are about having a choice. The choices in this year’s presidential election are clear-cut — with marked differences between the two candidates on issues ranging from the national economy to the war in Iraq.

By Jordan J. Michael

BERNE –– The Bulldogs boys’ soccer team went into its first sectional game with a six game losing streak. The recent past has been officially erased.

ALTAMONT —AVA, she’s a demanding mistress, and it’s taking a whole team of people to bring order to her life. AVA, of course, is the Altamont Village Archives.

Burger in the frontlines, shepherding the press

GUILDERLAND — Elizabeth Burger spent the hours preceding last week’s presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. shepherding reporters around her campus.

By Zach Simeone

As Shell WindEnergy looks to build industrial-sized wind turbines in Albany County, on the crest of the Helderbergs, residents and officials have taken stances both in favor and against the idea of commercial wind farms.

Comptroller says taxpayer money is stranded in employee benefit reserves

By Zach Simeone

Paolino still hopes to stay an educator

GUILDERLAND — Michael Paolino wants to get on with his life.