Local First Twin Bridges Edition 032422 by Capital Region Weekly Newspapers

Twin Bridges Edition | Thursday, March 24, 2022

COVID infects state event McCoy, four others test positive after gathering of county officials in Colonie By PETE DEMOLA

Anything That Floats Event

MECHANICVILLE Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, 80 North Central Ave, Mechanicville, NY 12118 (behind O’Reilly Auto Parts) The event will directly follow the White-Water Derby this should be around 1:00 pm. For many years “Anything that Floats” was the biggest event of Spring in Mechanicville and in the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, the 2021 event was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. With restrictions now lifted, we are getting back to a place of some normalcy and plans are underway for the 2022 “Anything That Floats”. Anything That Floats is an opportunity for you to build a vessel that will float for about ¼ of a mile on the Anthony Kill. This event will immediately follow the annual White Water Derby which is a longer race composed of kayaks and canoes. There is a full complement of fireman and first responders throughout the route of Anything That Floats to ensure the safety of participants. We are reaching out to invite you, your classmates, your best friends, archrivals, small businesses, family members or neighbors to join us! Celebrate spring, help support MACSC, and, most importantly, win a

COLONIE - Counties have been on the front lines during the pandemic, implementing mask mandates, coordinating testing and vaccinations and tracing the virus’ virulent path through their populations. Now an annual gathering of county officials appears to have lit the fuse on a fresh round of infections rocketing through their ranks. At least three elected officials have tested positive for COVID-19 following the New York State Association of Counties’ annual conference at the The Desmond Hotel in Colonie last week — including Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, who announced his diagnosis on Saturday. Two other officials — Essex County Board of Supervisors Chairman Shaun Gillilland and Moriah Town Supervisor Tom Scozzafava — told the Times Union they tested positive following the event, which wrapped last Wednesday. Gillilland confirmed he learned of two additional infections on Sunday, bringing the total of known cases up to five. McCoy informed NYSAC following his diagnosis, according to a spokeswoman, Mary

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Rozak. He’s not aware of other attendees who contracted the virus, Rozak said. Previous tests revealed the county executive had antibodies against the virus, an indiction that he had already contracted COVID-19. Rozak said that exposure and infection were likely the result of McCoy’s packed travel schedule prior to the pandemic’s U.S. onset in early-2020. NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario wished McCoy a speedy recovery on behalf of the advocacy group and said the organization has notified attendees to encourage them to monitor their health symptoms and take appropriate precautions. NYSAC has not been contacted by any other county official or conference attendee who has tested positive for the virus, said Acquario, who urged those who do test positive to follow the guidelines for tracing, isolation and quarantining measures. “We are now in the 25th month of COVID and our county leaders have been at the forefront of protecting the health and wellbeing of the public,” Acquario said. “Let’s use this as an opportunity and reminder as concerts, sporting events and conventions return, that we may be done with COVID but COVID isn’t done with us. New Yorkers should get vaccinated, boosted, and to take all other recommended health precautions.”

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“We are not aware of any staff testing positive prior to or since the NYSAC event,” a spokeswoman for The Desmond said Sunday evening. The potential outbreak comes as the virus is waning across the U.S. and local, state and federal regulations have largely been scrapped. Statewide, the number of hospitalizations are at their lowest levels since Aug. 3, according to the governor’s office. The state logged 12 deaths on Saturday. Statewide, the seven-day average for positive infections is 1.87 percent — slightly lower than the Capital Region’s 2.52 percent. But two months after the omicron variant propelled caseloads to record-breaking levels, scientists and public health experts are warily Please see COVID 8

Giacone caps off her stellar career at Big Dance By JOYCE BASSETT

Delmar’s Jenna Giacone played basketball for six years for the Atlantic 10’s Dayton Flyers. And she couldn’t be happier with her decision to stay and play. “This was definitely my most favorite season. Not just because I knew it was my last but the team, the group of girls, my teammates … we all just showed up every single day with our goals in our mind and just worked hard,” Giacone said in a phone interview Sunday. The Flyers, ranked 11th in the NCAA Tournament and winning a First Four game on last Wednesday in the Greensboro Regional, lost Friday in a tough battle with Georgia, the region’s sixth seed. “I haven’t fully been able to reflect on all the

memories, but there’s so many of them. Every single year of my six years here was absolutely amazing.” Her coach, Shauna Green, was impressed by the resilience of Giacone, who watched from the bench most of her first two seasons. A foot injury led to her sitting out her sophomore year to recover. “Jenna has been such an integral piece to our Dayton program the past six years. Her work ethic and determination are second to none. She has won five of six regular season championships and two conference championships in her time here. More importantly she has been an incredible leader in this program and has without a doubt left a legacy here at Dayton,” said Green, whose tenure at the school mirrors Giacone’s.

The 6-foot-1 guard from Delmar, a Bethlehem Central graduate, finished the season averaging 12.8 points and 3.8 rebounds with 75 assists, 30 steals and 28 blocked shots. She finished her career with 975 points. Her next steps include attending professional basketball combines which start in early April at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Minneapolis. And the hard work that helped Giacone become an integral part of a top Division I program has spilled over into another interest. She published a children’s book this winter, called “Gabby’s Got Game,” and is planning some Capital Region book readings and signings in schools in May. “The book is about girls playing basketball, but I really just want to share

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dayton’s Jenna Giacone, right, plays in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament on Friday.

a story to inspire and motivate not just young girls but boys as well. The lesson for kids is whatever that you choose to do, have fun doing,” she said. She borrowed her sister’s name for the book’s character but she said the book isn’t about her.

Gabby and Jenna Giacone — who are just 15 months apart — paired up to win a Section II Class AA championship and both earned state, league and media postseason honors in high school. Gabby played at NorthPlease see ALL IN 8

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PAGE 2 | MARCH 24, 2022

LOCAL FIRST | TWIN BRIDGES

2022 Dutchess County Poet Laureate Announced POUGHKEEPSIE - Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced he has reappointed Poughkeepsie resident Dr. Lucia Cherciu as the County’s Poet Laureate for 2022. Dr. Cherciu will continue to bring poetry to the community through a series of reading events throughout the year. County Executive Molinaro said, “The bold creativity of the artists within our Dutchess County arts community have helped to bolster our spirits, strengthen our relationships, and build us all up during some of the most trying times we’ve been through. I am confident, as we find our way back to normalcy, the arts and our artists will continue to keep us

Clifton Park Senior Community Center 6 Clifton Common Court, Clifton Park, Ny 12065, 518-383-1343 Senior Express -Transportation for Clifton Park Senior Residents – 518-371-4444 Saratoga County Office for the Aging - Home Delivered Meals – 518-3634020 or 518-363-4033 Periodic Activities: call or go online to view our newsletter at https://cliftonpark.org/services/senior-services/senior-center.html Membership to the Center is available to anyone 50+ for ONLY $20 for all of 2022! *Vaccination may be required for some activities. Please call to register for all programs listed. Thank You* Spring Birthday Bash Service Project “Funraiser:” Thursday and Friday, March 24th & 25th Hosted at Friendly’s at 815 Rt. 146, Clifton Park. We will earn 15% of each check to be used towards our Birthday Bags Service

connected and improve our quality of life. We are proud to continue our commitment to the arts and look forward to Dr. Cherciu’s continued contributions as our 2022 Poet Laureate.” Dr. Cherciu was born in Romania and came to the United States in 1995. She received her Ph.D. in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2000 with a dissertation on women and laughter, titled “Ludicrous ‘Scribbling Women’: The Politics of Laughter and Nineteenth-Century American Women Writers.” She is a Professor of English at SUNY/ Dutchess Community College, where she has been working for twenty years. She enjoys working with her students and in spring she usually conducts a Service Learning Project at Morse Elementary School. “These are difficult times, when people around the world understand how important it is to work together, support one another, and use writing in order to communicate, show compassion, and help in the process of healing.” Dr. Cherciu said, “The crisis in Ukraine has demonstrated to us how words can be used to show solidarity and work towards making

Project. A “certificate” will be needed and can be picked up at the Center or printed off the March Newsletter online. Popcorn and a Movie: Showing: Flightplan: Friday, March 25th, 12:15pm Aging-In-Place: Wednesday, March 30th, 12:30pm: Presented by Phil Di Sorbo, Board Certified Patient Advocate and Director of Community Hospice with the Saratoga Senior Center. Navigating the health system effectively, what is palliative care, keys to a good Health Care Proxy, personal growth in the face of serious illness, life with illness during and after COVID, key home safety issues, and more. Join us for an interactive discussion! Our Daily Lunch Program (12:00pm Noon) is ongoing. Call for details. MONDAYS: Game Room Activities (darts, air hockey, billiards, & ping pong), Tap Dance, Jazz Dance, Chair Yoga, Beginner Clogging, Intermediate Clogging, Discussion Group, Rum-

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mikub, Ukulele, Quilting Group, Soul Line Dancing, Healthy Bones TUESDAYS: Exercise to Tape, Game Room Activities (darts, air hockey, billiards, & ping pong), Yoga, Dice Games, Duplicate Bridge Group, Qi-Gong and Tai Chi, Scrabble, Hand and Foot Cards, Square and Round Dancing, Tai Chi for Seniors WEDNESDAYS: Exercise to Tape, Game Room Activities (darts, air hockey, billiards, & ping pong), Investment Group, Ukulele Group, Dice Games, Social Bridge, Bowling, Poker, Canasta, Beginner Tai Ch, Knitting and Crocheting, Healthy Bones THURSDAYS: Exercise to Tape, Game Room Activities (darts, air hockey, billiards, & ping pong), Chorus, Rummikub, Yoga, Watercolors, Pinochle, Mahjong FRIDAYS: Tap Dance, Ballet, Orchestra, Woodcarving, Game Room Activities (darts, air hockey, billiards, & ping pong), Domi-

peace. Poetry, story-telling, and all the arts can contribute to changing the world, making us more empathetic and kind, so we can reach out to our neighbors and help them out. We should all work together to ensure that all schools have access to resources in order to teach Visual Arts, Music, Poetry, and use creativity in the spirit of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” Arts Mid-Hudson manages the Poet Laureate selection process, which includes inviting a panel of literary professionals and community members to review nominations and make their recommendation. Public nominations for the unpaid role of 2023 Dutchess County Poet Laureate will be accepted this summer. “We are so appreciative of Dr. Lucia Cherciu, our Dutchess County poet Laureate for 2021 and are thrilled with the decision to reappoint her for another year in 2022,” said Alyson Pou, Executive Director for Arts Mid-Hudson. “Poetry enriches all our lives. Many thanks to County Executive Molinaro for his continued support of Arts and Culture in Dutchess County.”

noes, Jewelry Making Class, Bingo, Latin Line Dancing, Healthy Bones Trips! Trips! Trips! Call or stop by today to sign up! Lunch & a Show: “Aging Disgracefully” at the Carriage House in West Springfield, MA: Thursday, April 7th: $87/Members $97/Non-Members Lunch & a Show with Rich Wilson: Actor, Comedian, and Singer at the Riverview Inn in PA: Wednesday, May 18th: $70/Members $80/ Non-Members Lunch & a Show: Corvette’s Doo-Wop Revue Lobsterfest at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA: Thursday, June 9th: $89/ Members $99/Non-Members Proof of Vaccine is required for all trips.

Diocesean Prayer Meeting from Christ Our Light RC Church Rescheduled LOUDONVILLE - It is with regret that the Diocesean Prayer Meeting, which was scheduled for this Sat. March 12th is

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being rescheduled to Saturday, March 26th 2022 due to a predicted severe storm slated for the 12th. Please pass this notice along to anyone you may feel would need to know. All other details remain the same. Christ Our Light RC Church - Parish Hall 1 Maria Dr., Loudonville, NY. 1:00pm - 2:30pm (Doors open 12:30pm)

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Troy Kiwanis Chicken BBQ TROY - The annual Kiwanis Club of Troy BBQ fundraiser will take place this year in May. Tuesday, May 10th; St Michael’s Church 175 Williams Road (Next to HVCC) 4-6 PM Take Out Only; $15.00 each Includes ½ BBQ Chicken, Baked Potato, Coleslaw, Roll, Butter. For Tickets call Dean at 518-322-0826. Funds raised go to Troy area children’s projects. We will sell out, so reserve your dinners now!! GREAT FOOD FOR A GREAT CAUSE!!!

DISPLAY AD DEADLINE: Friday 4:00pm CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE: Monday 2:00pm Twin Bridges Edition Monday 4:00pm Saratoga North Edition The Advertiser Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The majority of the ads in this publication were created by and are the sole property of Local First and cannot be reproduced without express permission from the publisher.

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LOCAL FIRST | TWIN BRIDGES

AROUND YOUR COMMUNITY The Mohawk River Harmony Band Will Perform Your Favorites ALBANY - Friday Night – March 18th @ 7 pm; $12. Beverages and snacks included. Open to the public. CDC & COVID compliant. Inside seating is limited. Plenty of free parking. Handicap accessible. Call 518-452-6883 for more information. Location in Colonie: Hanover Square Building, 435 New Karner Road (Hanover Square Offices and Apts.) at “Hill” door. Friday Night – March 25 @ 7 pm: It’s a night of Improvisations…. Let me Interview You! Ann Parillo, Producer and Host of Capital Region Today will lead the group in fun night of improvisations. CDC & COVID compliant. $5. Inside seating is limited. Plenty of free parking. Handicap accessible. Call 518-452-6883 for more information. Location in Colonie: Hanover Square Building, 435 New Karner Road (Hanover Square Offices and Apts.) at “Hill” door.

Latham-Colonie Knights Of Columbus, Are Hosting Lenten Fish Fryday’s LATHAM - March 25th, April 1st, April 8th and Good Friday April 15th at 328 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham, N.Y. 12110 Menu; Baked Fish Dinner includes Twice Baked Potato, Vegetable, Dessert, Coffee or Tea. Fish Fry or Clam Roll Dinner! includes French Fries or Onion Rings,

Coleslaw and Dessert, Coffee or Tea. Baked Fish $15 Fish Fry Dinner $15 Clam Roll Dinner $12 (Fish Fry or Clam Roll only is available by request) Serving from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Dine In or Take Out available! Reservations 518 892 3750 www.lathamcoloniekofc.com/dinners&events March Lecture

THE CENTER at Colonie Senior Service Centers March Classes and Events COLONIE - THE CENTER is a place for individuals 55 years of age or older to learn, grow, exercise and be creative. Best of all, it’s a place to have fun! Prices are listed as member and not-yetmember. Vaccinations and masks required for all participants. Registration required for all events. Membership is $20/calendar year. For information, call 518-459-2857 x 327 or email cbarrett@colonieseniors.org. Catalog can be found at www.colonieseniors.org. Exercise: Boot Kickin’ Line Dancing, Feb. 7 – March 28,1 p.m., $40/$50 Tai Chi, Monday at 10:30 and Tuesday at 2 p.m., Call for price Yoga for Mobility, Thursday at 10 a.m., Call for price Tap Dancing, Various levels, Thursday, 11:15, Call for price.

Book Club (In Person) at THE CENTER COLONIE - Whether you are an avid reader or need a little nudge to pick

one up, this book club is welcoming to all. We’ll meet the third Tuesday of each month to discuss the chosen book. 518-4592857 x 327, cbarrett@ colonieseniors.org

Southern Saratoga Art Society Displays Artwork During the Month of March CLIFTON PARK Artists and members of SSAS will be exhibiting throughout the area during the next couple of months. Valerie Wolf will be exhibiting at the Clifton Park Town Hall, 1 Town Hall Plaza, Six SSAS members are exhibiting at the Mechanicville Library, 190 N. Main Street, Tel.#: 518-664-12118. Artists Barbara Hurley, acrylics, Cheryl Birmingham, oils, Rita Helie, oils, Jack Morgan, oils, William Daisak, acrylics and Lynne Kaiser, watercolors, will show their works during March and April. SSAS is sponsoring Shenendehowa High School Students’ selected artwork for display during March at the Clifton Park Senior Community Center, 6 Clifton Common Blvd. This year is particularly special as it is the first time some of the students have been back in class after remote learning during COVID. This year’s show has a special quality as their art is personal and expressive. Having your schooling interrupted as these students have, is incredibly challenging. Many found comfort in the art-making process. There will be 30 pieces on display in a variety of media, including acrylic paintings, watercolor, photographs, drawings, etchings,

Please send your news and photos to bulletinboard@crwnewspapers.com. Please include contact information.

mixed-media and collage. Several of the students are seniors and will be attending art school in the fall. If you need to lift your spirits, take a few minutes and see the world through a teenager’s eyes.

B’nai Sholom Course Examines Development of a Split Jewish Diaspora in Antiquity CAPITAL DISTRICT - After the destruction of the Second Temple by Rome in 70 CE, the diaspora of Jews of the East – Israel and Babylonia – developed very differently from those of the West – Egypt, northern Africa, Asia Minor and southeastern and southern Europe. A course offered by B’nai Sholom Reform Congregation in Albany will examine this and other aspects of a split Jewish Diaspora. “A Split Jewish Diaspora?” will be taught via Zoom Mondays beginning March 21, 10-11:45 a.m. In addition to the obvious geographical divide, language served as a barrier between East and West, with the former speaking and writing Hebrew and Aramaic and the latter speaking and writing Greek. This linguistic gap led to a much deeper cultural gap. The course will discuss the theory that this discontinuity helps to explain the successful spread of earliest Christianity to the west, rather than to the east. Course instructor Steven Stark-Riemer has taught about the scientific study of the biblical world since 2007. He studied anthropology at City Col-

Senior March Dining Events at Colonie Senior Service Centers

St. Luke’s on the Hill Annual Clam Chowder Event

Please check in, as schedules and plans are ever-evolving due to the pandemic. As this newsletter goes to print, we are open for in-person dining. Please note, you must have all three vaccinations to sit in our dining room. Thank you for doing your part to keep everyone safe by getting your vaccination and wearing a mask! Join us for a hot meal at The Beltrone Living Center Monday – Friday at noon. This program is funded in part by the Albany County Dept. for Aging, NYS Office for the Aging, Administration for Community Living, Town of Colonie and participant contributions. This program is an equal opportunity provider. Suggested donation of $3, and registration and reservations are required. Call 518-459-2857 x 303. March 25: Chicken and Waffles March 28: Spinach Frittata March 29: Shrimp Primavera March 30: Pulled Pork March 31: Chicken Marsala For special events, suggested contribution of $3 for the meal and $3 for entertainment. Special Lunch: Friday, March 4 at noon. Come hear the sounds of Irish guitar and song with Padraig Timoney. Lunch will be corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, carrots and an Irish cupcake. Lunch and Learn: Thursday, March 10 at noon – Come for a live cooking demonstration with Chef Jim Kavanaugh, as he cooks up an Irish favorite – Bangers and Mash. This Irish pub food consists of pork sausages, potatoes and onions gravy. It’s commonly served in pubs across Ireland and the U.K. Reservations required. Special Dinner: Monday, March 21 at 5 p.m. The Musicats Duo plays the music of George Gerschwin, Frank Sinatra, Fats Waller, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others. Dinner will be chicken Parmesan, Caesar salad and ice cream sundaes. Join us at THE CENTER as we bid adieu to winter! In the month of March, there is much happening. For fitness, there is Tai Chi, Yoga and Line Dancing. We are being creative, with classes in watercolor, tissue paper flowers, and open studio time. We’ll be traveling, with trips planned to the Irish American Heritage Museum, Dear Evan Hansen at Proctor’s Theater, Rivers Casino and the Argus Hotel. We also continue to be social with clubs that meet for knitting, books, writing and cards. Membership is $20 per calendar year, and you can reach out to 518-459-2857 x 327 or cbarrett@colonieseniors. org for information.

CAPITAL DISTRICT - Manhattan Clam Chowder, New England Clam Chowder, Corn Chowder Sold by the Quart - $10 each Preorders encouraged – We sell out every year! 518-577-7772, Pick up April 8, 2022, 4 to 6:30 pm

March 2022 Meeting for the Capital District Genealogical Society CAPITAL DISTRICT - When: Saturday, 26 March 2022 at 1:00 PM Where: Online Zoom Meeting Description: CDGS meetings are presently held on Zoom. Registration is free and will open to the public on 16 March 2022. See www.CapitalDistrictGenealogicalSociety.org under meetings and events. There is a

100-person limit. Topic: “Write As You Go” by Elissa Powell. The “write as you go” method has become an efficient and popular process to gain insights, stay organized, and create a work product as you do research. Adopters of the method state that their time is used more efficiently and they can pickup the research with minimal lost time if it should be interrupted.

Literacy Volunteers Announces 10th Annual Famous Ladies’ Tea TROY - Celebrate Women’s History Month and support literacy programs in Albany County and Rensselaer County at the Famous Ladies’ Tea, Sunday, March 27, 1:004:00p.m. Local actresses will portray notable women including Margaret Mead, Emily Dickinson, Inez Milholland, Anna Howard Shaw, Moms Mabley, Betty White and Phyllis Diller. The in-person event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 235 Hoosick Street, Troy, N.Y. A virtual option is available for those who do not wish to attend in person. The Famous Ladies’ Tea will include a raffle, silent auction and wine pull. Tickets are $50 in person with traditional tea lunch, $40 virtual-only (without lunch). Payment is required in advance, online at www.lvorc.org or by check to Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County, 65 First Street, Troy, NY 12180. For more information, call (518) 244-4650 or visit www.lvorc.org.

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lege of New York, where he specialized in archaeology, and received his degree in 1972. He obtained field work experience at the Tel Gezer excavations in Israel under the direction of William G. Dever, director of the Hebrew Union College Biblical and Archaeological School at the time. Stark-Riemer continues to pursue his interest in the archaeology, history and religion of the ancient Near East. “A Split Jewish Diaspora?” is open to the public. Fee for the eight-session course is $54 ($36 for B’nai Sholom members) and registration is required. The class will not meet Monday, May 2. For more information or to register, contact the B’nai Sholom office: 518-482-5283 or office@ bnaisholom.albany.ny.us. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, B’nai Sholom Reform Congregation in Albany is a home for contemporary Reform Judaism in the Capital Region. Nearly 130 diverse households from six counties seek religious, educational and social fulfillment at B’nai Sholom.

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PAGE 4 | MARCH 24, 2022

LOCAL FIRST | TWIN BRIDGES

OPINION Putin Has Already Lost

Trump Didn't Cause the Ukraine War

By Jennifer Rubin

(c) 2022, The Washington Post President Joe Biden, in signing off on another $800 billion in military aid for Ukraine last Wednesday, said the goal is to ensure that the war "will never be a victory for [Vladimir] Putin no matter what advances he makes on the battlefield." Fortunately for Biden, the Russian president will never be able to subdue ordinary Ukrainians, who have taken up arms to defend their homes and families. In fact, it is increasingly possible that Putin may not even control major cities. The extent of Putin's failure is breathtaking. He was supposed to win this war in days; in three weeks, he still has not captured Kyiv or decapitated the Ukrainian government. His military has sustained humiliating losses, provoking him to start firing advisers en masse so as to deflect blame. Putin also wound up energizing Ukrainians' strong nationalistic spirit, even turning many Russian-speaking residents into virulent foes of Russia. Ukrainians will pass down their memory of this war from generation to generation, poisoning future generations' views of Russia long after Putin is gone. Putin also has unified the West, prompted NATO to beef up its military spending, kick-started a resurgence of pro-democratic sentiments, revealed his own weakness with his clumsy crackdown on the media and made himself the poster boy for war crimes. Biden himself labeled Putin a "war criminal" for the first time last Wednesday. Meanwhile, Russia's economy is in shambles, losing decades of progress and perhaps permanently damaging the country's energy markets. Four of Putin's generals have died on the battlefield. Russian international sports and cultural figures are deploring his war. His oligarchs have lost fortunes resulting from the seizures of foreign bank accounts, properties and yachts. Put it all together, and it's clear the war has been devastating to Russia - and perhaps crippling to Putin. Crucial to a despot's grip on power is the perception of strength. Like absolute kings centuries ago, modern tyrants rely on elites and the wider public believing they can do no wrong. Their rule cannot be questioned because they must present themselves as critical to the survival of the country. As Hal Brands and John Lewis Gaddis wrote for Foreign Affairs magazine last year, it is "the claim to infallibility on which legitimacy in an autocracy must rest." They added: "That is why graceful exits by authoritarians have been so rare." Putin now finds himself the butt of jokes. After he imposed "sanctions" against U.S. politicians, White House press secretary Jen Psaki deadpanned, "I'd first note that President Biden is a 'junior,' so they may have sanctioned his dad, may he rest in peace." She added, "None of us are planning tourist trips to Russia, and none of us have bank accounts we won't be able to access, so we will forge ahead." Likewise, the meme mocking the physical distance he places between himself and his advisers at very long tables speaks to his diminished image. Despots also need a degree of international respect to maintain the illusion that they can bring prestige and security to their people. Garry Kasparov, a human rights activist born in the Soviet Union, knows this all too well. As he explained on Twitter, "For those who still don't understand, Putin stays in power by keeping the cash flowing [and] his oligarchs happy. To do this, he needs to be irreplaceable, the big boss. . . . With no legitimacy via real elections, dictators must rule by force, propaganda, and de facto legitimacy engendered by things like talks with foreign leaders." Putin's ability to represent his country in the world community is now imperiled, perhaps permanently. Indeed, the revelation of Russia's military ineptitude and the total failure to achieve his aims makes negotiating an end to the hostilities difficult for Putin. The worse his conduct becomes, the harder it is to "give" him something for the sake of reaching a peace deal. After weeks of Russian attacks on civilians, it's inconceivable he could escape accountability for war crimes witnessed by the entire planet. Likewise, giving in to his demand that Ukraine forswear its ability to ally itself with the West would be a horrid betrayal of the heroic efforts of Ukrainians. This is precisely why U.S. intelligence officials expect that Putin will become increasingly desperate and reassert his aggression. Beth Sanner, a former top intelligence official, recently told the New York Times, "It wasn't a cakewalk for Putin and now he has no choice but to double down. This is what autocrats do. You cannot walk away or you look weak." Ironically, Putin's abject failure and international humiliation may pose the greatest barrier to ending his terribly miscalculated war. It's hard to give a war criminal an "off-ramp."

By Rich Lowry

More than a year into the Biden presidency, Vladimir Putin has invaded a sovereign neighboring country and, of course, everyone knows who's to blame -- Biden's predecessor. In an instance of misdirection for the ages, a spate of commentary has pointed the finger at Donald Trump for supposedly creating the predicate for Putin's brutalizing of Ukraine. There's no doubt that Trump has long had an apparently uncontrollable reflex to say warm things about Vladimir Putin. He foolishly mused about pulling out of NATO. And his withholding of aid to Ukraine for a partisan political purpose -- to pressure the Ukrainian government to uncover dirt related to the Bidens -- was a tawdry abuse of power (and led to his first impeachment). No one should hold Trump up as a paragon, but to blame him for sparking a delayed-fuse geopolitical cataclysm that just happened to explode on Biden's watch is wholly ridiculous. Trump critic retired Lt. Col Alexander Vindman, who had a star turn as a witness at Trump's first impeachment, says Trump emboldened Putin and left Ukraine unprepared to defend itself. Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch says Trump sent the world the message that Ukraine was a mere pawn. A piece in The New York Review of Books says Trump "paved Putin's way." There is no support for this argument in a world where facts and logic -- or basic chronology -- mean something. First of all, Russia had grabbed Crimea and started a long-running war in Eastern Ukraine in 2014, long before anyone had any idea that Donald Trump would run for president, let alone win. It clearly didn't take Trump to give Putin the idea that he could get away with invading Ukraine -- he invaded Ukraine and got away with it under the administration of Barack Obama, when, by the way, Joe Biden was vice president. It is now widely acknowledged that the sanctions back then were too timid, a concession that Obama officials let Putin off too lightly. Surely, that must have figured into the Russian

leader's calculation whether to invade yet again. Then, there's the fact that Barack Obama steadfastly resisted providing Ukraine lethal aid -- after it had already been invaded. Bipartisan opposition to Obama didn't move him. He believed deeply in the appeaser's logic that it would be too "provocative" to give Ukraine weapons simply to defend itself. Again, Trump had nothing to do with this misbegotten decision; indeed, he criticized it. Trump's offense in 2019 was to delay military aid -- including Javelin missiles -- that Congress had approved for Ukraine, in a reversal of Obama's policy. If Trump never should have engaged in this self-interested gamesmanship, he released the assistance by September 2019. Another line of argument is that Putin didn't invade Ukraine during the Trump administration because the Russian leader was already getting ever y t hing he wa nted from Trump, including the destabilization of NATO. The outward expression of Trump's doubts about the alliance, though, largely took the form of loud complaints about European countries skimping on defense spending, which were completely justified. Indeed, it's perverse that Angela Merkel was made into a great heroine of Western statesmanship at the same time she maintained a pathetic level of defense spending and deepened Germany's energy dependence on Russia in a way that was more dangerous than anything Trump said or tweeted. And it wasn't Trump who told Biden to execute a humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan, to give Putin the gift of a summit after he menaced Ukraine the first time, to remove sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, to speak forthrightly about Western divisions at a pre-invasion press conference, or to forgo preemptive sanctions. All of that is on Biden, and all of it -- especially the Afghan fiasco -had to make an impression on Putin. Now, it may well have been that Putin was undeterrable, but that makes it all the more outlandish and dumb to blame a former U.S. president for his depredations.

Send Us Your Thoughts Regarding Our Opinion Page. We look forward to expanding our papers with diverse views.

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MARCH 24, 2022 | PAGE 5

LOCAL FIRST | TWIN BRIDGES

HOME SOLUTIONS Woodcraft offers tips for spring home projects

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PAGE 6 | MARCH 24, 2022

LOCAL FIRST | TWIN BRIDGES

HOUSE OF THE/ WEEK REAL ESTATE HOUSE OF THE WEEK 36 Greyledge Drive, Albany

Clockwise from Top: Living room, featuring a fireplace and skylights; one of two and a half bathrooms.

PHOTOS BY WILL SCHAEFER

The house was built on .36 acres in 1984.

his week’s house is a gray Colonial with black decorative shutters and a red door in the Bishops Gate neighborhood in Loudonville. The Neolonial is probably the most common style and floor plan in the Capital Region. Rarely exciting, but reliable and comforting in its predictability. This house was built in 1984. It has 4,158 square feet of living space, three bedrooms — including one on the first floor — and two and a half bathrooms. Highlights include a fireplace against an exposed brick wall and LEIGH a big back deck. Albany HORNBECK schools; attached, two-car HOUSE OF garage. Taxes: $10,800. THE WEEK List price: $460,000. Contact listing agent Amy Mesch Favreau with Howard Hanna at 518-423-2163.

n If

you have seen or own a particularly interesting home for sale to feature, send the address to lhornbeck@timesunion.com

n To

see more House of the week photos, go to Leigh Hornbeck’s Places & Spaces blog at http://blog.timesunion.com/realestate

The living room with balcony above; the kitchen; one of three bedrooms; the entry foyer.

MARCH 24, 2022 | PAGE 7

LOCAL FIRST | TWIN BRIDGES

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the library. The Waterford Library welcomes singer-songwriter Kyle Carey for a performance of her “Gaelic Americana” music on Saturday April 23rd at 3pm. For more information please contact the library at 518-237-0891.

CLIFTON PARK The Jonesville United Methodist Church Food Pantry is open each Friday from 9am-12 noon and serves residents of Burnt Hills/ Ballston Lake and Shenendehowa school districts.We are located at 963 Main Street, Jonesville,518-877-7380.

HOROSCOPE Week Of March 27, 2022

ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Heavy or sensitive issues could weigh on you, Aries. However, things are likely better than you think, so find a silver lining or someone with whom you can share your struggles. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Don’t underestimate the power of positivity, Taurus. You can evoke more change than you may expect if you channel all of your confidence. Others will feed off your energy. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 A mysterious energy is affecting your decisions, Gemini. Don’t be scared or suspicious. Just go with the flow for a little while and things will sort themselves out. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, you will never be short on ideas, but you may need to figure out what is worthy of your energy. You can’t focus your attention on a million projects without help. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Get yourself noticed for all the right reasons, Leo. Try your best in the workplace to have higher-ups see what you’re made of this week and next. A promotion could be near. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Apply a reality check to assess which projects you should keep going and what ones are better left to the side. It just may free up a lot of extra time, Virgo. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Start looking at which desires or needs you have been ignoring, Libra. It might be time to reassess what you hold dear and rearrange your priorities.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 One-on-one interactions may have been a little rare lately, Scorpio. You should find the time to spend with a close friend or even a romantic partner. Make a plan today. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 An adrenaline boost comes your way this week, Sagittarius. You can plow through that to-do list that has been waiting for you for some time. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Your comfort zone gets a shake-up this week, Capricorn. Even if things may be a little awkward, it doesn’t necessarily make them bad. Explore any possibility that comes your way. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 The stars are affecting your creativity and skills of perception. With these senses amplified, you may find solutions to problems that have evaded you. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Love is on the brain, Pisces. You will have plenty of opportunities to spend time together over the course of the next few days. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MARCH 27 Fergie, Singer (47) MARCH 28 Lady Gaga, Singer (36) MARCH 29 Maggie Baird, Actress (63) MARCH 30 Celine Dion, Singer (54) MARCH 31 Ewan McGregor (51) APRIL 1 Randy Orton, Wrestler (42) APRIL 2 Pedro Pascal, Actor (47)

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LOCAL FIRST | TWIN BRIDGES

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fabulous trophy complete with bragging rights! Awards will be given out for creativity and most seaworthy. People can obtain the registration form directly from our website https:// www.mechanicvilleacsc. org or contact Tammie Alikonis. Option to pre-register for $20, or register at the event for $25, registration will be from 12-12:30. Mail registration form and entry fee to The Mechanicville Area Community Services Center (MACSC), 6 South Main St, Mechanicville, NY 12118. If you have any questions or concerns, we will be happy to speak with you! Feel free to contact Tammie Alikonis via phone 518.664.8322 ext 1014 or e-mail talikonis@ mechanicvilleacsc.org. Hope to see you rocking “Anything That Floats!” Contact Tammie for Registration Forms, Sponsorship Forms, Guidelines, etc. If folks wish to sponsor the event they can obtain the sponsorship form directly from our website or they can reach out to Tammie Alikonis.

eyeing the emergence of a more contagious subvariant of omicron, known as BA.2, from western Europe. “Case numbers are still dropping nationally, but BA.2 accounts for a growing proportion of those infections, rising to almost one-quarter of new cases last week,” the New York Times reported on Saturday. “The subvariant is estimated to be 30 to 50 percent more contagious than the previous version of Omicron, BA.1.” Fewer than half of Americans who have received primary vaccine doses have received booster shots, according to The New York Times, placing the nation more at risk in the event of another surge. “Let’s use this as an opportunity and reminder as concerts, sporting events and conventions return, that we may be done with COVID but COVID isn’t done with us.” — NYSAC Executive Director, Stephen J. Acquario

eastern and scored 1,071 points in her career. She’s now a fifth-grade teacher at Latham Ridge Elementary in North Colonie. Her class read “Gabby’s Got Game” and sent Jenna letters, hand-delivered to her by her big sister at the team’s game against Rhode Island. She said Gabby has been an inspiration to her as she played throughout her career. She also applauds the example set for her by Capital Region basketball legend and coach Julie McBride — who starred at Catholic Central, Syracuse and professionally. “Julie McBride was my trainer and mentor, I don’t even know how old I was when I started training with her,” she said. “But she really is the reason why I fell in love with basketball, being with her in her gym every single day.” McBride and her Capital Region fans were treated to an incredible end to her college career. Her two games in the NCAA Tournament proved to be something special. Last Wednesday, the Flyers kicked off the tournament by crushing DePaul 88-57 in a First Four play-in game at the NCAA Tournament. Giacone finished with 21 points and shot 4-for-6 from the 3-point line in a dominant performance for the Flyers. Against Georgia, she scored 16 points in a tough 70-54 loss to the SEC’s Lady Bulldogs. This was Dayton’s third NCAA Tournament appearance in Giacone’s six seasons. It would have had four bids if the 2020 tournament hadn’t been canceled. She said the NCAA Tournament this year reflected a promise to make the tournaments more equitable for men and women. After limited play her freshman year and an injury-plagued sophomore season, she blossomed as a redshirt junior, scoring 211 points. That was the season abruptly ended by the pandemic prior to the NCAA Tournament.

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The recommendations — which include proposals to close or completely reconstruct 35 medical centers nationwide — must be reviewed and approved by the AIR Commission, an independent body that will be appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. That process could take one to two years, Potter said. From there they would go to the president and Congress for approval, which could add many more years to the process, he said. “Going through congressional debate it’s going to be some time — probably at least 10 to 15 years,” Potter said. “It could very well be 20 years down the pike. So it’s not a result that’s going to happen right away.” Built in 1951 on 29 acres off of Holland Avenue, the Albany Stratton VA facility

hasn’t been renovated since 1985, according to the AIR report. It has $222.4 million worth of deficiencies and costs $8.7 million a year to maintain and operate, the report states. “The Albany VAMC campus was built in 1951 and over time, the hospital building’s use has evolved to include inpatient medical and surgical, inpatient mental health, (community living centers), and outpatient care,” the report states. “Both the current infrastructure and layout do not meet modern health care standards, and the existing facility requires significant capital investment.” The department recommended reconstructing the hospital in Albany, but did not recommend specific sites. Potter said the hospital could be built on an entirely new site, or somewhere else on the VA’s 29-acre plot, which sits across from Albany Medical Center Hospital. Once constructed, the new medical center would offer inpatient mental health services,

SPRING REC SOFTBALL! Ages: 6 – 16 Starts April 30th

In the 2020-2021 season Giacone emerged as one of the premier players in the Atlantic 10 conference. She was named A-10 Most Improved Player and earned league First Team honors. The team only played 19 games that season because of the pandemic but she scored a career-high 235 points and started every game. Recruited by Siena’s head women’s coach Jim Jabir, who left the program prior to Giacone’s freshmen season, Giacone said her desire to stay at Dayton was a combination of loving the university and believing in her coaching staff. She graduated with an MBA in business. “I was behind some really good players in our guards that we had at the time. But I just stuck with it. I’ll tell anyone and especially younger athletes, I truly just trusted the process and trusted my coaches. I just knew that at some point my name was going to be called and my time was going to come. So the key is to be ready when your name is called,” she said.

May & June Lacrosse Programs For Boys

LORI VAN BUREN / TIMES UNION ARCHIVE

The Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany was built in 1951 and hasn’t been renovated since 1985, the AIR report says.

community living centers, residential rehabilitation treatment programs, urgent care, primary care, outpatient specialty care, and outpatient mental health services. The department is also recommending that the VA transition inpatient medical and surgical services to a nearby academic affiliate (Albany Medical College), as well as outpatient surgical services — with VA providers delivering the care at the partner facility. Demand for inpatient medical and surgical services is decreasing, while demand for inpatient mental health, long-term

care, and outpatient care is increasing, the report said. In addition to replacing the main hospital, the department recommends the Albany VA consolidate and relocate some of its outpatient services. A community-based outpatient clinic in Glens Falls would close and relocate to Saratoga Springs, which has a larger veteran population, the report says. Other outpatient service sites in Clifton Park, Schenectady and Troy would close and be absorbed into the new Albany VA site, according to the proposal.

ONE DAY SALE! Sign Up Today for

PROVIDED BY JENNA GIACONE

Dayton and Bethlehem Central basketball standout Jenna Giacone wrote a children’s book called "Gabby's Got Game."

CAPITAL DISTRICT - Capitalland lacrosse will be running a boy’s MAY & JUNE lacrosse programs. Players can chose to play on Tuesdays night, Sunday afternoons or BOTH. Programs will start on May 10 and end on June 26. Each group will play for an hour and a half each day/night. Levels include: a co-ed K – 5th learn to play program; boys instructional programs for beginner & novice players grades 2nd – 5th & 6th- 10th; an advanced instruction program for players in graders 3 – 6 & 7 – 9 who want to refine their game while being introduced to more advanced techniques. All age level will be separated and a scrimmage will be held each night. For more information on all of these programs go to www.capitallandlacrosse.com or e-mail us at chad@ capitallandlacrosse.com.

May & June Lacrosse Programs For Girls CAPITAL DISTRICT - Capitalland lacrosse will be running a girls MAY & JUNE lacrosse program. Players can chose to play on Tuesdays night, Sunday afternoons or BOTH. All programs will start on May 10 and end on June 26. Each group will play for an hour and a half each day/night. Levels include: a co-ed K – 5th learn to play program; girls instructional programs for beginner & novice players grades 3rd - 10th, an advanced program for players in graders 6th –8th and one for 9 - 10 who want to refine their game while being introduced to more advanced techniques. All age level will be separated and a scrimmage will be held each night. For more information go to www.capitallandlacrosse.com or e-mail us at chad@capitallandlacrosse.com.

Bridge at THE CENTER COLONIE - Come play with a friendly group. Tuesdays at 12:30. 518-459-2857 x 327, cbarrett@ colonieseniors.org

TME LAWNCARE 518.821.3055

$1/wk

RECIEVE 26 WEEKS OF SUNDAY DELIVERY AND ALL DIGITAL ACCESS

at Halfmoon Softball Fields Woodin Rd.

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Girls will learn fundamentals of softball in a fun and educational environment.

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www.halfmoonsoftball.com Registration fee: $75

GO TO TIMESUNION.COM/SUNDAYSPECIAL OR 518-454-5454 TODAY!

Tim Lasher

518•821•3055 tmelawncare800@gmail.com