Tamara Starr

CATSKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10) — On Monday night, hundreds protested at Catskill Central School District while a private meeting was held with the school district’s attorney. And that meeting was closed t…

Trinity Alliance continues to feed those in need amid rising food cost Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region held its final mass food distribution for the year on Tuesday in Albany. Denis McKay Jr., a volunteer who has lived in the Arbor Hill neighborhood for over 30 years, said that the community depends on events like these. “Sometimes people don't have the money to go out and buy what they need,” he said. Earlier this year, No Kid Hungry New York poll found that 85% of New Yorkers say food costs are rising faster than their income. As a result, about 51% reported buying less meat, fish, and eggs due to the rising costs. Now, organizers said, more than ever, many are taking advantage of food pantries and other community resources. However, these same resources need help keeping up with the demands. Trinity Alliance has been offering mass food distribution events for Albany community members for decades. The events used to be held every month, but even with the limited number of distributions, organizers said they have been able to serve thousands within the last year. “It means a lot to the community,” Denis McKay Jr, Arbor, said. “There's a lot of healthy foods that they can get. Like potatoes, soup, almonds… Things that will help benefit them. On Tuesday, hundreds lined up with their bags and carts to get as much fresh produce as possible for their homes and families. Shakeemah Dixon, Health and Wellness Operations Supervisor for Trinity Alliance, said she is grateful for all the volunteers involved and the organization is always seeking help. “It makes me feel good to know that I can be a helping hand to somebody when they're in need,” Dixon said. “Especially with the extra food…doing mass foods when we don't have limits on our items. As a parent who's working. I work two jobs, so I completely understand the need for assistance, the food… Just anything in general. The surge of everything that's happening.” However, rising costs will not stop mass food distributions from happening. The next one is planned for around March 2025.

Red Cross recruiting volunteers for hurricane relief efforts Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. The Red Cross is holding boot camps to prepare volunteers to help Hurricane Helene victims. Now, with Hurricane Milton on the way, the organization is looking for even more volunteers. The Red Cross is now holding boot camps to prepare volunteers to help Hurricane Helene victims. With Hurricane Milton on the way, the organization is looking for even more volunteers. Paul Edwards, a Greenwich resident and veteran, has been waiting for this type of opportunity. “It's a big disaster… and if I can be there to help- I will,” he said. As soon as news broke about Hurricane Helene's devastating aftermath, Josh Moskowitz, Regional Disaster Officer for Eastern New York, said the organization immediately started its recruitment efforts for volunteers. “We immediately tried to mobilize as many people as we possibly can,” Moskowitz said. “In Eastern New York, we got about 25 to 28 people out the door within the first two to three days.” Volunteers come from various backgrounds, but all devote two weeks to help those affected by the storm. “I definitely wanna help people, I wanna do what I can to save lives, and to make people's lives better… And help them get through this,” Paul Edwards said. Some retirees also decided to provide aid and attended the training. Laura Coleman, a Saratoga Springs resident, said her family is very proud of her decision to volunteer. “I read about all the stuff online, and I just wanna help the people,” Coleman said. Anna Parisella, a Howes Cave resident, volunteered while she still felt healthy enough for the opportunity. “I feel very lucky to be in the physical shape… I should utilize that,” Parisella said. “I should use my good health and good fortune to do something for other people in extreme need right now.” For Parisella, helping those affected hits close to home since she can still remember the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. Which over a decade ago left businesses inoperable and homes uninhabitable… “I remember the destruction and the hopelessness… and the surprise…and this is my time to do something about it,” she said. The Red Cross will provide anyone interested in volunteering with free training and will pay for travel and expenses. However, organizers said they still need both virtual and local volunteers, and anyone interested can apply on their website “The Red Cross responds to a home fire in this region at least two or three per day,” Josh Moskowitz said. “So we still need folks who can respond to those home fires [and] do dispatching services.” And once Hurricane Milton makes landfall, organizers said they are ready to help communities pick up the pieces and rebuild

Tech Incubator brings Silicon Valley to Downtown Troy The Quakenbush building in Downtown Troy was once the home of a department store in the mid-1800s. Now, it houses engineers, artists, and innovators looking to create a collaborative environment for startups. Tech Valley Center of Gravity is just one of the organizations looking to provide resources and mentorship. Dan Falkenstronm, Operations Director of Tech Valley Center of Gravity, said the organization started as a Facebook group 11 years ago. “We started at a small 2,000 square foot space and free rent provided by Bryce Properties, and it's built up to this gorgeous building after tremendous growth,” Falkenstronm said. Before becoming a member, April Ferrante did a lot of work from home. She says her skills have only expanded since joining. “Now I do multimedia. I do anything from drawing to painting, and now I am getting a little more into chalkboard art,” Ferrante said. But whether it's in art, tech, 3-D printing, or even woodshop, the Quackenbush building in Troy has also become a community resource for those looking to learn new skills by providing classes for the public. “As we're collaborating with other organizations that also serve these populations, we're trying to think how can we take this community to the next level,” Falkenstronm said. That is why they also started working with high schools around the area. Michael Hutchinson is a retired vet who serves in Albany High School's JROTC program. He said that he was inspired by how much engagement students have shown. “Some of them even advanced on to an advance chip design course for integrative circuits. And these are high school-age kids. Normally, that's something you associate with RPI or MIT, and they are doing great work,” he said. “So, hopefully, they can carry that on into post-secondary education.” Tech Valley Center of Gravity also offers community programs for every age and field trips for students. New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC) is a nonprofit organization with an office in the building. Through its Ignite U program, the organization has been working with colleges to provide opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs and engineers. Kevin Owens, President and CEO of NYSTEC, said he is always inspired to learn from new students. He is also grateful that their office is in Troy, as the city has always supported engineering and the arts. “We just think Troy has a very innovative vibe,” he said. “I mean, I grew up there in the area, and Troy has always been a unique, vibrant downtown. I think with the close proximity to RPI and Hudson Valley. We just felt it was a good fit.” Those within the building want to expand their collaborative efforts and inspire future tech leaders beyond the Capital District. Anyone interested can visit the social media pages for each organization or stop by between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Massachusetts voters debate over legalizing psychedelics with Question 4 In two weeks, Massachusetts voters will decide whether or not to legalize psychedelics for mental health and self-care. But does Question 4 on the ballot focus on consumer health or big business? Chris Keohan, Spokesperson for The Coalition for Safer Communities, said it's clear that local communities were not considered. NFL Sunday Week 7: Bills come back to win big; Giants, Jets, and Patriots come up short See highlights from Week 7 in the NFL. More Videos 0 seconds of 3 minutes, 56 seconds Volume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard Shortcuts Play/Pause SPACE Increase Volume ↑ Decrease Volume ↓ Seek Forward → Seek Backward ← Captions On/Off c Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreen f Mute/Unmute m Decrease Caption Size Increase Caption Size + or = Seek % Next Up Los Angeles Dodgers end the New York Mets World Series hopes with a 10-5 Game 6 win, clinching the NLCS https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/3ECHFHQf Live “If this were written in a more thoughtful way… If it's actually doing what the ‘yes' side is promising… I wouldn't be sitting here on the ‘no' side,” he said. The Boston Globe and Berkshire Eagle have published opinion pieces stating voters should vote no on the bill. James Davis, co-founder of Baystaters for Natural Medicine , supports psychedelics but says the bill will not allow mental health professionals to have access to affordable treatment options for patients. “So this law would crush small nonprofits like ours,” Davis said. “It would make the care inaccessible to most residents of Massachusetts, as well as those coming from Canada or other states.” The bill is funded by some of the same super PACs involved in the psychedelic law in Oregon , including David Bronner of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. In Oregon, treatments can cost between hundreds and even thousands of dollars. We contacted Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps but have not received a comment. “The people that are gonna benefit the most aren't the people that they're promising,” Keohan said. “It's not the people with end-stage cancer, psychosis, or PTSD… It's the venture capitalists that are funding this ballot question.” New England Public Media reports that, according to campaign finance records, wealthy business executives from the Boston tech industry have also given large donations. “Voters should understand, unlike the marijuana ballot question eight years ago, this doesn't allow for community opt-out,” Keohan. “The only real real regulations they put in here is limiting what communities can't do.” Davis also wants voters to know that the ballot question is not simply about legalization. “ A lot of people might wander into this voting booth thinking this is a simple debate between legalizing and not legalizing psychedelics. But the way we legalize it matters.” According to Davis, the organization has been working on a better bill to help create safe access while including local input. “Most of us are actually aligned that psychedelics have some benefits- even its opponents. It's just a matter of how we introduce these to society to keep people safe and treatments affordable,” Davis said. “Those are really shared priorities that we'll continue to work around after Question 4 is defeated.” But in the end, it will be up to the voters on November 5th.

How NYS Police K9 Training creates bonds with troopers and the community The New York State Police trains dozens of dogs for its police K9 Training Program all year round. Trooper Eric VanBramer has been a part of the canine unit for 12 years. He said the unit is very selective when recruiting a dog to train since the 20 weeks of residential training in Cooperstown can be rigorous…but there are breaks between training. “You arrive on Monday and leave on Friday,” he said. “You live here all week. You work here all week with your dog. Friday, you go home. You come back to your family, and your dog comes with you.” GOP Assembly candidate responds to allegations of mail stealing in Scotia Scotia Police are investigating a video that appears to show Republican Assembly candidate Joe Mastroianni stealing a political mailer from a mailbox in the village. Mastroianni responded to the allegations on Wednesday evening. More Videos 0 seconds of 2 minutes, 55 seconds Volume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard Shortcuts Play/Pause SPACE Increase Volume ↑ Decrease Volume ↓ Seek Forward → Seek Backward ← Captions On/Off c Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreen f Mute/Unmute m Decrease Caption Size Increase Caption Size + or = Seek % Next Up Half of eligible organ donors in NY are registered https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/6pyrbYgr Live But then it's back to work! K9 Partners can explore rooms that mimic real-life scenarios, such as detecting an explosive, drugs, a person, or a cadaver around a room- or storage items like lockers and cabinets. “We put dog food… cat food. We'll put peanut butter, dog biscuits… So, the dog has to work through that discrimination,” Trooper VanBramer said. “And he's gotta leave that odor of peanut butter, and he's gotta find the actual explosive.” Trooper VanBramer says it's all about repetition and constantly changing the items ‘ location. K9 police dogs also do ‘find and bite' or' find and bark' scenarios. They are trained to bite, shake, and hold the arm or leg of a suspect and then alert their handler when someone is found. But special suits protect each person from a k9's bite pressure. “[You] sometimes come out with some black and blues, but when you're training the dog to engage a decoy- especially with new dogs- it's good to have this suit,” he said. After completing training, K9s are also involved with community programs, where they can learn social skills, and troopers can help inspire the next generation. “I think having the visibility of the community, having the dogs engaged with the public, and the kids see what we're doing,” Trooper VanBramer said. “And I think it opens their eyes so they can think, ‘I can do that one day. I wanna be a K9 Handler.'” But once it's time for retirement, each K9 can transition from police partner…to family pet. “I currently have a retired dog at home,” Trooper VanBramer said. “She lives in the house. She's a part of the family, and she's a pet. She enjoys her retirement.”

Early voting is set to kick off in New York tomorrow. But with election day just 11 days away, government officials across the capital region want to remind voters of their options and deadlines.

Pastors on Patrol looking to create a satellite station Video Player is loading. This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color Transparency Background Color Transparency Window Color Transparency Font Size Text Edge Style Font Family End of dialog window. In May 2023, Bishop Avery Comithier learned that there was a shooting at Village Barber and Beauty on Second Avenue in Albany. Bishop Comithier, a Chaplain for the Police Department and in Pastors on Patrol, said he was getting a haircut from Tyrone Staley earlier that day. When he arrived on the scene, he learned that Staley had died from his injuries. In May 2023, Bishop Avery Comithier learned that there was a shooting at Village Barber and Beauty on Second Avenue in Albany. Bishop Comithier, a Chaplain for the Police Department and in Pastors on Patrol, said he was getting a haircut from Tyrone Staley earlier that day. When he arrived on the scene, he learned that Staley had died from his injuries. Today, one of the suspects involved with the shooting, Timmoure Miller , will be sentenced and faces 25 years in State Prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. “I want to talk to him and find out why,” Bishop Comithier said. “I need to find out what made him decide to do something that ended someone's life.” Now that areas around the city see more violence , Pastors in Patrol have been working with Albany Police in “hot spot” areas. But Bishop Comithier now seeks a donated RV to create a mobile satellite station. “That way, we can provide a presence in the neighborhood- especially for local businesses and restaurants,” he said. “And we have already been in contact with professionals who can provide mental health assistance to help those in need.” Bishop Comithier said he is open to having a small new or used RV, and anyone who would like to help with the initiative can contact him at 518-396-8816.

Siena Research officials say election night results can swing either way The Siena College Research Institute has been accurate for the last two presidential election cycles. Travis Brodbeck, Associate Director of Data Management, said many are always surprised that about half of the country disagrees with the other. “When you ask someone, ‘Is Vice President Harris a strong leader? Or is President Trump a strong leader?' How they interpret that question can vary based on who you are asking,” Brodbeck said Over 13,000 speeding tickers issued after school zone cameras installed That staggering number is for tickets issued in a three week period. The first few cameras went live on October 7. More Videos 0 seconds of 3 minutes, 4 seconds Volume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard Shortcuts Play/Pause SPACE Increase Volume ↑ Decrease Volume ↓ Seek Forward → Seek Backward ← Captions On/Off c Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreen f Mute/Unmute m Decrease Caption Size Increase Caption Size + or = Seek % Next Up Hochul: Disgusted by racist comments at Trump rally https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/m12NjSAh Live The institute can make about 60,000 phone calls per night to nationwide voters. But with the economy and immigration being the top issues for Trump voters and Harris voters supporting abortion and protecting democracy as their top issues… officials like Don Levy, the institute's director, say the election can swing either way. “We measure public sentiment at a moment, with some degree of potential error. We may be off by two or three points in either direction,” he said. Travis Brodbeck said from a research perspective, it's been very interesting that most polls have also shown it to be a tight presidential race- despite the poll methods. “Whether you are a telephone shop like us, where we do all of our interviews with live interviewers, or if you look at these mixed method shops- whether they use text to the web, they call people with IVR (Interactive Voice Response), if they do online probability or non-probability. Regardless of what you see across the industry in their methods, you see very tight races,” Brodbeck said. Officials say the only thing voters can do is to either take advantage of early voting or show up on election day to cast their ballots and wait to see the official results.

Statistics can mean more than numbers. According to the Siena Research Institute, polls can reflect broader attitudes and priorities among voters. During this election cycle, reproductive rights, healthcare, and education issues resonated with female voters. Meanwhile, male voters are focusing more on economic policies and national security.