Nursing homes that have been taking extreme measures to keep out COVID-19 are now going to have to accept new residents diagnosed with the virus. The state Department of Health sent out a notice informing every nursing home of the rule last week. Mercy Living Center in Tupper Lake, a ...

RAY BROOK — The Federal Bureau of Prisons has issued a nationwide shelter-in-place order for inmates in its facilities, keeping them mostly in their cells for the next two weeks during the coronavirus pandemic. But James Weldon says this order is “a day late and a dollar short.” ...

SARANAC LAKE — Three North Country hospitals have confirmed that as of Thursday, no staff members have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Representatives of Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone and Elizabethtown Community Hospital say no employees ...

RAY BROOK — Troop B of the New York State Police confirmed Friday that three officers have tested positive for COVID-19. It has not been released yet where these officers were stationed within the district. Troop B covers Essex, Franklin, Clinton and St. Lawrence counties, as well as the ...

SARANAC LAKE — Pendragon Theatre actors are not expected to perform before a live audience this summer. “YOU, our audience are our priority,” says a letter from the community theater’s board President Marc Gitlitz, dated Monday. “We won’t put your health at risk during the ...

--- Essex County -- ¯ 11 — Confirmed cases, 8 lab tested, 3 suspect (this means a provider’s diagnosis) ¯ 8 — People under isolation order ¯ 16 — people in mandatory quarantine ¯ 20 — people in precautionary quarantine ¯ 95 — People who have been tested and received ...

KEENE — The town of Keene’s community center expansion project is moving forward. The Keene Town Board on Tuesday named AES Northeast of Plattsburgh as the contractor that will draw up plans for a possible expansion to the town’s Church Street building. AES will be asked to draw ...

KEENE — The hiker shuttle run by the town of Keene will not operate for the foreseeable future. The shuttle, which transports hikers from Marcy Field to the popular Garden trailhead, will not start service for the upcoming season amid concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus, ...

State Sen. Betty Little voted against the state budget that was adopted Thursday the state Legislature, saying lawmakers were kept in the dark as the spending plan and some unrelated policy changes were negotiated by a few leaders behind closed doors. Little, R-Queensbury, is not running ...

MALONE — The Franklin County Local Development Corp. has established an emergency loan fund for businesses affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus and is allowing businesses with existing loans to defer their payments for 90 days without penalty or additional interest. The LDC Board of ...

PLATTSBURGH — The continued COVID-19 pandemic has caused a pause in some industries, but a local staffing agency says there’s more opportunity out there. “There are many essential businesses that are hiring,” ETS CEO & President Deb Cleary said, adding that some partner ...

ALBANY — New Yorkers will get to vote on a $3 billion environmental bond act this fall and polystyrene products will be banned in January 2022 as a result of state budget legislation supported by lawmakers Wednesday. Budget measures agreed upon by lawmakers would also speed up the ...

WASHINGTON — Seniors receiving Social Security who don’t normally file tax returns will not have to do so to receive Economic Impact Payments of up to $1,200, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service announced Wednesday night. These people will automatically ...

SCHENECTADY — General Electric Co.’s unions are calling for GE to start making ventilators in Schenectady and other sites across the country where GE has been laying off workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. The IUE-CWA, which represents hundreds of hourly workers at GE’s steam ...

Last week Franklin and Essex County lawmakers asked short-term vacation rental owners, including those who list their properties on online platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, to not accept bookings as the coronavirus continues to spread. But days after the counties’ directive, hundreds of ...

SARANAC LAKE — Every evening at 7 p.m. there is a shift change at Adirondack Medical Center. The village mayor invites residents to throw open doors and windows to give the local hospital’s workers a big shout-out and thank-you at this time every day, starting Thursday. Franny ...

Essex County ¯ 7 — Confirmed cases, none new ¯ 37 — People in mandatory or precautionary quarantine, or isolation, 3 more than Tuesday ¯ 89 — People who have been tested and received results, 4 more than Tuesday --- Franklin County ¯ 8 — Confirmed cases, none new ¯ ...

LAKE PLACID — People here and around the North Country are using 3D printers to make face shields for health care workers. Institutions involved so far include Northwood School, the Lake Placid and Saranac Lake central school districts, SUNY Canton, and Mountain Orthotic and Prosthetics ...

LAKE PLACID — There was a structure fire at Cascade Acres Mobile Home Park Wednesday evening. The Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department was still on scene at press time, so more information on this incident will be available at a later time.