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Fourth Sunday of Advent


From County Route 6 looking toward Lake George. (Click image to see larger version.)

Fourth Sunday of Advent – LK 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

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Third Sunday of Advent


Looking towards Burgess island. (Click image to see larger version.)

Third Sunday of Advent – JN 1:6-8, 19-28
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.

And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests
and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it,
but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

A fact: New York state, which once had the highest number of cases in the nation, now has the nation’s lowest rate of transmission (Rt) — at just 0.77. An Rt of 1 or higher means that COVID-19 is increasing — an Rt of below 1 means it is decreasing.

Why is New York one of the rare few where case numbers continue to decline even as the state reopens? Governor Cuomo believes it’s because of New Yorkers’ discipline and caution — including the widespread wearing of face masks. We must continue to be disciplined. If we stay the course, we will avoid the “second waves” that other countries are now grappling with.

The number of COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Yesterday total hospitalizations fell to 1,898, from 2,042 the day before. Sadly we lost 42 New Yorkers to the virus.

Elsewhere:

Finley, the 6-year-old Golden Retriever from Canandaigua, NY, who was recognized by Guinness World Records for being able to hold a record six tennis balls in his mouth with no assistance, finally received his certification. He even broke his own record and is able to hold seven tennis balls in his mouth. Congratulations again to this very good dog on his world record!

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of new COVID hospitalizations is dropping steadily. Total hospitalizations dropped to 2,978, from 3,121 the day before. Tuesday, New York had 135 new COVID hospitalizations, down from 154 the day before. Yesterday 49 New Yorkers died of the virus — the lowest number since March.

Outdoor dining at restaurants will be permitted in Phase 2 of reopening. Restaurants in the seven regions that have already entered Phase 2 — including our own Capital Region can reopen for outdoor dining beginning tomorrow, June 4th.

NYS Executive Order (not a mandate) Allows Store Owners to Deny Entry to People Without Masks Governor Cuomo announced an executive order last week that will allow private owners to refuse service to people who are not wearing a mask. “We are giving store owners the right to say, ‘If you’re not wearing a mask, you can’t come in,'” Cuomo said. It is not a law or a mandate. You do not have to refuse service to someone wearing a mask, but it allows you to do so if you choose.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 3,436, from 3,619 the day before. Saturday, NY state had 191 new COVID hospitalizations.

Daily fatalities drop to lowest level since March 23rd. 56 New Yorkers died from COVID. This is a tragic number — but we are thankful it is much, much lower than where it was at the peak. As this number goes down, it is expected to level out. The question is how low it will go before that happens.

Grab the tennis balls! Finley, a 6-year-old Golden Retriever from Canandaigua, NY, was recognized by Guinness World Records for being able to hold six tennis balls in his mouth with no assistance — shattering the previous record of five tennis balls. Congratulations to this very good boy on his world record.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to just over 4600, from 4,844 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 208, from 225 the day before. Tragically, we lost 84 New Yorkers to the virus Friday.

Please remember that social distancing rules apply at State Parks and all public outdoor spaces. You must wear a mask whenever it’s not possible to maintain six feet of distance from others.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 4,844, from 5,187 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 225, from 246 the day before. Tragically, we lost 109 New Yorkers to the virus Thursday.

Gov. Cuomo issued a statewide executive order Friday night that now allows any gathering of up to 10 people, so long as social distancing is observed. The order permits “any non-essential gathering of ten or fewer individuals, for any lawful purpose or reason, provided that social distancing protocols and cleaning and disinfection protocols required by the Department of Health are adhered to.”

Vote for your favorite “Wear A Mask” PSA. NY state received 600+ submissions in our Wear A Mask NY Ad Contest. Watch the video finalists, the honorable mentions and vote for your favorite at wearamask.ny.gov.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to fall. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,187, from 5,570 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 246, from 295 the day before. Tragically, we lost 105 New Yorkers to the virus Wednesday.

Due to Coronavirus, there is a shortage of blood and blood donations are desperately needed. New York State is working with blood banks to ensure safe social distancing protocols are being followed. Learn how and where you can donate at http://ny.gov/donateblood.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

Message from Representative Stefanik on Wednesday’s Capital District Phase 1 Reopening “Brighter days are ahead.”

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,570, from 5,818 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 295, from 335 the day before. Tragically, we lost 112 New Yorkers to the virus Tuesday.

Wearing a mask in public makes us all safer.To help get the message across, NY state launched a contest asking New Yorkers to create a video and share in their own words why New Yorkers should wear masks in public. After receiving over 600 great submissions, five finalists have been selected. The winning video will be chosen by an online vote and will be used as a PSA. Watch the videos and vote for your favorite here.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

Starting today, the Capital Region which includes Washington County and Huletts Landing, can begin Phase 1 of the state’s regional phased reopening plan. The region has identified enough tracers to meet the required metrics and will be joining Western New York, Central New York, the North Country, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley in reopening Phase 1 businesses.

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to drop. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,860, from 5,840 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 335, from 373 the day before. Tragically, we lost 105 New Yorkers to the virus on Monday.

Elsewhere

Sometimes you just have to get excited about life!

The Belmont Stake will take place on June 20, without fans.Traditionally, the Long Island horse race is the last leg in the Triple Crown, following the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. This year, for the first time in history, the Belmont will be first. Earlier this week, Governor Cuomo announced that horse racing tracks could open without fans and the state will issue guidance on how they can safely reopen in the coming week.

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NYS Coronavirus Update

The number of total COVID hospitalizations in New York state continues to drop. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,850, from 5,897 the day before. There were 373 new COVID hospitalizations Sunday, essentially flat from 374 the previous day. Tragically, we lost 106 New Yorkers to the virus Sunday.

Elsewhere

President Trump’s Letter to the WHO

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NYS Coronavirus Update

There are over 700 locations where New Yorkers can get diagnostic testing. New Yorkers can visit a new website — coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you — and enter their address to view a list and a map view of the nearest testing sites. The state has also partnered with Google Maps to display testing site results. New Yorkers can search “COVID testing near me” on Google Maps to easily find the nearest testing sites. Please remember you must always schedule an appointment to get a COVID-19 diagnostic test by calling 1-888-364-3065 or your healthcare provider.

New York State is partnering with CVS to bring testing to more than 60 CVS pharmacies across the state. Each site will be able to conduct 50 or more tests per day.

The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to drop. Total hospitalizations fell to 5,897, from 6,220 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations also dropped to 374, from 400 the day before. Tragically, we lost 139 New Yorkers to the virus on Saturday.

Elsewhere