Today’s big story - the return of outdoor dining! Gordon has the scoop and the reaction from local restaurants, as well as the latest plan for Glens Falls High School graduation, and of course, COVID-19, county by county.
This Just In: Outdoor Dining Resumes Thursday
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced late Wednesday that outdoor dining in the region will be allowed starting Thursday, June 4th.
“Outdoor tables must be spaced six feet apart, all staff must wear face coverings and customers must also wear face coverings when not seated,” said the Governor’s directive.
It comes as welcome news to local restaurant owners who were part of a growing chorus of government officials and business leaders advocating for the change.
“You were the vanguard in what became a statewide push,” Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore said in a press release.
Contacted for comment, Queensbury Hotel General Manager Tyler Herrick said of the news, “It’s fantastic! It’s about time. It never made any sense to be able to service everyone with to-go meals and have them sit in the park or on the curb to eat it. We will keep things clean and sanitary, and our patio and courtyard are all set. We are ready starting Thursday at noon.”
Paul Bricoccoli, Jr., one of the owners of the Bullpen and Talk of the Town in Glens Falls, said, “I think it’s great. I’m glad we’re able to open. A little notice would have been nice. It seems like the Governor is flying by the seats of his pants here.
“I have a tent coming for Talk of the Town, and I talked to the tent guy and asked him how much notice I needed to give him because I figured it would be a last-minute decision. He told me he’d need three days.
“Today, I called him as soon as I heard the news, and he’s going to try to get something to us tomorrow. I can put a bunch of tables outside under a tent.”
He said he has not seen many specific directives except for servers wearing masks and diners wearing masks away from the table.
“It will be the Wild West but I’m obviously ecstatic to be able to open. As I told you yesterday, restaurant people are resilient and creative. We’ll figure it out. We’re ready to roll.”
To see what businesses and restaurants are now open, Warren County’s COVID Hub website has a tool that allows businesses to report re-opening and have their locations plotted on a county map for public consumption - view it here.
What Will Glens Falls High School Graduation Look Like This Year?
At this point, graduates will be given a time to pick up their diplomas at the school, and there will be a virtual ceremony, superintendent Paul Jenkins told Glens Falls Living Monday.
Teachers are delivering gifts to seniors, celebratory banners are being made and lawn signs are out.
“We’re trying to find ways to honor and recognize our seniors,” Mr. Jenkins said. “I know some want everyone together for a ceremony, but right now that goes against the guidelines from the state that we are following.
“We would prefer to have a traditional graduation ceremony. I’ve been doing this for 30 years, and have been involved in 30 graduations. We know how to do this. But we just can’t do the same thing this year.”
Some are pushing for a traditional ceremony on social media, prompting the district to post a letter earlier this week. The letter said, in part, “There have been some questions regarding the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020. Currently, there are a number of special recognition activities that have been put in place to honor and celebrate our graduating seniors. An individual diploma ceremony and a virtual ceremony are both being developed in lieu of our traditional June graduation.
“We are working under the guidelines from the Governor regarding school closures and the restriction on non-essential gatherings of more than ten individuals. We also take our guidance from the state and local Departments of Health. The Superintendent is in constant contact with both DOH and they are not recommending large gatherings.
“That being said, we expect to hear something from the Governor’s office soon, seeing that both Massachusetts and New Jersey have made announcements allowing ceremonies in July. If that occurs, we will make appropriate changes. We would much prefer an in-person graduation ceremony for our students, as we have always been able to provide in the past, with some modifications for social distancing and the requirement of masks.”
Mr. Jenkins told me, “I understand the emotion, but we can’t overlook what the experts are telling us.”
COVID-19, County by County
In Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties, the number of new cases continues to fall. As of Tuesday, Warren County had not documented a new case of COVID-19 in four consecutive days.
In Warren County, 27 of their 33 deaths have been nursing home residents. Another four were residents of assisted living facilities. As of Tuesday, there had been four straight days without new cases. There have been 243 confirmed cases overall in Warren County, not including cases that were presumed to be COVID-19. 225 residents have recovered.
Washington County has reported 13 deaths and 204 total cases since the pandemic began. 177 residents have recovered, with 14 cases still active. One Washington County resident was hospitalized as of Wednesday.
Saratoga County reports 16 deaths with 481 confirmed cases overall, and six people hospitalized as of Wednesday. 418 residents have recovered, and there are 47 active cases.
NY State reports through May 25 that 14 residents of Glens Falls Center in Queensbury have died, with another five deaths presumed to be related to the virus. Eleven residents of Fort Hudson in Fort Edward have died. Five residents of The Pines in Glens Falls have died, with two additional presumed cases. Fort Hudson announced late last month that there were no new infections in the nursing home.
At Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Fort Ann, the state reports that as of May 27th, a total of 41 inmates had been infected. 39 have recovered. One test is pending. At Washington Correctional Facility across the street, there are no inmates currently infected, with two having tested negative in May.
Until next time -
Gordon
