as a reference to the simpsons episode?

For anyone who is interested in testing for their Technician license or upgrading to General or Amateur Extra:

The Troy Amateur Radio Association will be holding a VE session this Saturday at the Watervliet Senior Center (1501 Broadway, Watervliet).

Doors open at 9:30am and the session begins at 10am. Don't be late!

Bring your FCC-supplied FRN #, current license (if you have one), $15 test fee, and photo ID. Links and more relevant information can be found at www.N2TY.org/tvet.htm.

North Creek’s rail bike company rescued RPI students who got stranded while river rafting. After their rafts got stuck, the rafters hiked six hours and then, after midnight, pedaled back to civilization on the rail bikes.

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/stranded-hudson-river-rafters-rescued-adirondacks-18352332.php

Bruce Springsteen canceled his Albany concert so he can deal with a medical issue. The concert was already rescheduled from March due to a band member’s illness.

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/ailing-springsteen-cancels-albany-syracuse-18351649.php

The holiday lights show which was supposed to move from Washington Park to Altamont Fairgrounds this year is also canceled, because the Albany Police Athletic League couldn’t get it organized in time. (During the pandemic the Bethlehem police department killed our adorable Christmas parade which brought the community together in favor of a drive-through lights event. If they stick with that this year, I bet it will be extra packed.)

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/no-holiday-lights-altamont-year-18350989.php

The Belmont Stakes will likely be at Saratoga in 2024 and 2025 as Belmont Park is being renovated.

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/belmont-stakes-coming-saratoga-2024-18348161.php

The Saugerties town board would like to pass a motion to deny all FOIL requests for records regarding resignations and retirements, which is pretty clearly illegal. This is presumably to avoid releasing records about the police chief who recently left following a sexual assault scandal in his department.

https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/saugerties-foil-request-retirement-resignation-18350358.php

It’s the first day of a lot of local schools. Will this year continue the trend of chronic absenteeism, which spiked during the pandemic when many students either decided school was bullshit or were too sick to attend?

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/millions-kids-missing-weeks-school-attendance-18289670.php

Today’s DocGo news: the NYC comptroller rejected their contract, largely because “There was little evidence to show that this company has the experience to provide the services it has been contracted for” and because the CEO said out loud that the migrant crisis is good for them. I suspect it’ll go through anyway but this is a pretty big deal.

In addition, an audit by the NY Department of State found that DocGo security guards (because they provide migrants with security guards rather than social workers) lack proper licensing.

https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/nyc-comptroller-rejects-docgo-s-432m-migrant-18350070.php

https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/state-violations-security-upstate-migrant-18347653.php

There has been a big increase in the number of criminal cases dismissed because the prosecution takes too long. Defendants have the right to a speedy trial, and in NY that is defined as six months for a felony and 30-90 days for other crimes. Statewide they have increased 161% since 2019; in Albany County, from 92 to 150 speedy trial dismissals. (The article does not include what percentage of all cases this is.)

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/ny-sees-surge-botched-prosecutions-speedy-trial-18277664.php

Employers now need to state salary ranges in NY job listings. It’s about time!

https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/show-money-pay-transparency-law-takes-effect-18340241.php

Albany County is installing a solar array under a radar tower near the airport. Its production will offset the county’s electric bill. BOCES will also be using it as a teaching tool.

https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/albany-county-breaks-ground-solar-array-18341175.php

Lots of people overstay the 14-night maximum at DEC campgrounds by having different family members sign up for consecutive weeks. The DEC is proposing a long-term permit option at Rollins Pond, but it seems unlikely to me that it will reduce the problem at other more desirable sites.

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/dec-considers-testing-longer-stays-at-adirondack-campground

Hochul signed the bill preventing radioactive water from being discharged into the Hudson. This mostly targets the Indian Point nuclear power plant, which has already been shut down but not yet dismantled.

https://www.timesunion.com/capitol/article/gov-hochul-signs-save-hudson-ending-18303513.php

Guilderland Library is getting a café.

https://www.timesunion.com/tablehopping/article/roundup-cafe-con-mel-18347539.php

Vassar women professors are suing due to gender-based pay discrimination, which is particularly sad since Vassar used to be a women’s college. Their evidence is pretty good.

https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/vassar-college-gender-discrimination-pay-lawsuit-18338123.php

There has been a spate of robberies of ice cream stores; the Saratoga Ben & Jerry's, Stewart's, and the Delmar Tastee-Freez. (William Kennedy was arrested for trying to steal an ATM at that last one, but not THAT William Kennedy.)

https://www.news10.com/news/crime/2-charged-with-jims-tastee-freeze-grand-larceny/

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/man-accused-robbing-stewart-s-shop-route-9-malta-18346514.php

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/man-e-bike-robs-crowded-ben-jerry-s-saratoga-18346457.php

If you miss going to a parking garage to buy weed but don't want to support Mexican drug cartels, you're in luck: legal weed is for sale in the Saratoga City Center parking garage.

https://www.news10.com/news/saratoga-county/cannabis-growers-showcase-coming-to-saratoga-springs/

DocGo, the company which is failing to provide or coordinate services for the migrants NYC paid it to relocate upstate, is poised to win an even bigger federal contract to do the same.

https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/docgo-looks-toward-4-billion-migrant-contract-18340462.php

A fugitive evaded capture for five months, camping out in the Adirondacks. I wonder what his plans were for winter?

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/dec-fugitive-hid-months-adirondacks-18338811.php

In fraud news, a Mechanicville man has been charged with Medicaid fraud after charging Medicaid for over $1 million in transportation services which didn’t happen, and a woman got worker’s comp to pay $27,000 over six years for travel reimbursement to “aquatic therapy” at the Guilderland Y.

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/ex-postal-worker-watervliet-sentenced-27k-scam-18294921.php

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/saratoga-county-man-charged-1m-medicaid-scheme-18335138.php

Albany Med continues to have the second longest ER wait time in the state, and the median time listed here (six hours) is a lot shorter than what I’m hearing from friends who’ve gone. St. Peter’s is only ten minutes faster. The other area hospitals don’t have the facilities to do as much, plus they are dangerous to women because they’re affiliated with the Catholic church and can't be relied on to prioritize women’s health over their fetuses.

https://www.timesunion.com/health/article/albany-area-hospitals-longest-er-wait-times-n-y-18336129.php

The Guilderland IDA unanimously approved $2.2 million in tax breaks for Costco. https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/guilderland-ida-backs-2-2-million-tax-breaks-18334088.php

The owner of five historic buildings on Troy’s River and Front Streets wants to knock them down because the city hasn’t installed a sewer line to them. The city says they can’t install the line until he tells them how he plans to use the buildings. Razing the buildings could threaten the structural integrity of neighboring buildings and of River Street, which is held in place by the Front Street buildings. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/troy-s-oldest-downtown-commercial-buildings-face-18306630.php

A Gloversville neo-Nazi cried in court while pleading guilty to conspiring to rob a bank and to possessing a weapon he wasn’t allowed to have because he previously assaulted his wife. He previously operated Tyr Tactical Training, focused on “primitive survival skills.” His social media and group chats are filled with Nazi shit. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/alleged-neo-nazi-gloversville-weighs-guilty-plea-18300661.php

NYRA asked Saratoga Springs to remove animal rights protesters from the racecourse entrance. The city did not do that (which would be illegal; it’s a public sidewalk) but pressured them to reduce the number of people there. Counter-protesters from a group backed by NYRA showed up. The animal rights group thinks they were trying to force a confrontation which would allow police to remove them. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/churchill-hiding-saratoga-horse-deaths-conceals-18333794.php

The Schenectady school district is proposing modifications to its grading system that will make grading more consistent across classrooms and end consideration of attendance or behavior in academic grades. https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/schenectady-city-schools-look-make-grading-18338351.php

Broadview has donated a hydroponic “freight farm” to the regional food bank, which allows it to grow fresh produce year-round. Apparently it has previously funded them for other local groups so hopefully it works out well, but it strikes me as a logistical headache and unlikely to save a ton of money over buying wholesale produce. https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/broadview-federal-credit-union-donates-farm-18334141.php

Stewart’s won awards for chocolate and Mint Cookie Crumble ice creams at the state fair, and again won the best milk award. https://www.stewartsshops.com/news/stewarts-shops-wins-big-at-the-new-york-state-fair-once-again/