Author: Kate Haggerty

As much as all of us would love for COVID-19 to be a thing of the past, sadly it is not… As with the cycle of any virus, cases tend to spike after a holiday.

There have been 2 more COVID-19 related deaths, according to Warren County Health Services: these individuals passed away at area hospitals, and were in advanced years of 70s and 80s. Of the 11 cases reported to Warren County on December 5, 2022, 6 were found from home testing. There are 5 people in the hospital in Warren county with COVID-19; this is an increase of 1 person. In the last 5 days, there have been 100 reported cases of COVID-19. 

An Axios/Ipsos poll shows that most Americans are not worried about COVID going into the holiday season: one out of three polled saw contracting COVID as a high risk. It seems that Americans are calculating the risk of COVID, and moving on. Half of Americans have returned to their pre COVID routines. According to the poll, American feel optimistic about their health and their financial health. A larger percentage still support government efforts to fight the virus; however, 44% of respondents say that the government has spent enough on fighting COVID, and it’s time to move on. 

86% of Americans feel that they are in a better place than they were a year ago, though 84% of Americans feel that we will not be completely rid of the virus in our lifetime.

As we calculate the risks of contracting COVID, there are steps to take to try and avoid getting the virus and spreading the virus. Warren County Public Health suggests:

• Stay up to date with the latest booster
• Tell guests to stay home if they are feeling sick (even without a fever)
• Ask guests to take a home COVID test before arriving
• Make gatherings a bit smaller
• Encourage guests with weakened immune systems to wear masks
• Increase air ventilation
• After the gathering monitor for signs of symptoms

Warren County is deemed to have “low’ community levels of COVID-19.

COVID-19 home tests are available and free to the public: they are located at the Warren County Municipal Center (DMV & Human Services Building entrances), Glens Falls City Hall, and town halls around Warren County. 

Adrian Simental was arraigned on Monday, December 5, 2022, at the Queensbury Town Court. He is accused of firing a handgun at Brandon Grant, a 52-year-old New York City man. The incident is alleged to have occurred after an aggressive driving incident moments earlier on Route 9 in Queensbury: Police said Simental followed Grant into the Walmart parking lot, where a verbal and physical fight occurred. Simental allegedly then shot Grant in the abdomen. Grant was treated at both Glens Falls Hospital and Albany Medical Center, and has since been released.

Simental faces felony charges of attempted first-degree assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. 

According to NY Penal Law, first-degree assault is a criminal offense that involves intentionally or recklessly harming another person; assault in the first degree is the most serious type of assault you can commit. In order to be convicted of assault in the first degree, the prosecutor must show the following:

• That you injured someone using a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, and you had intent to cause serious injury or,
• That you injured someone, and you had the intent to seriously and permanently disfigure or,
• That you seriously injured someone, and you did so in manner that showed you had depraved indifference to human life or,
• That you seriously injured someone while committing a felony

Felony assault is a Class B felony.

The maximum sentence for being convicted of assault in the first degree is up to 25 years in prison, and as it’s a violent felony offense, the minimum possible sentence is 5 years.

Simental also faces second degree criminal possession of a weapon; this is the most serious of the criminal possession charges. It is against the law to possess a loaded firearm in your vehicle without a license for it. It is also illegal to possess a disguised firearm with the intent to use it in an illegal manner. 

This is a class C felony, and could result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years, and since it’s also classified as a violent felony offense, the minimum possible sentence is 3 years. Probation is not an option, even if the offender has no prior criminal record. 

According to court documents, Simental said, “I’m a general laborer, but mostly now it’s gonna have to be construction. They are the only ones that take felons, right?”

His next court appearance will be January 3, 2023. He is being held at Warren County Jail, for lack of $200,000 cash bail or $600,000 bail bond.

The Leapfrog Group gave out high grades to both Saratoga Hospital and Glens Falls Hospital for patient safety: Saratoga Hospital earned an ‘A’ and Glens Falls Hospital earned a ‘B’. These grades place both hospitals in the top 25% of New York State facilities for this category! This shows a rising dedication to patient safety, as Glens Falls Hospital had previously received a ‘C’ score in 2019 and 2020 and a ‘B’ score in 2021, while Saratoga Hospital had received ‘C’ scores from 2019 until this most recent evaluation.

The Leapfrog Group created and administers The Leapfrog Group Safety Grades. This system of grades is a national leader and advocate for hospital transparency, and is both independent and not-for-profit. The goal of the Leapfrog Group is to save lives by reducing errors, injuries, accidents, & infections. They gather the relevant data through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey: this survey is trusted and transparent, and it includes 2,300 hospitals that participate voluntarily and free of charge.  

“Our Leapfrog score reflects our culture of safety and 24/7 commitment to protecting patients from preventable harm and error” Saratoga Hospital President & CEO Jill J. Vankuren said via press release. “The ‘A’ grade is a tribute to our team and a source of assurance to our patients, who can be confident they’re receiving care at one of New York’s safest hospitals.”

The Leapfrog safety system assigns letter grades twice a year to general hospitals based on over 30 measures of patient safety. 30% of U.S. hospitals earned the highest rating of ‘A’ . 28% earned a ‘B’.  Participating in this safety survey gives both Glens Falls Hospital and Saratoga Hospital an opportunity to share best practices for patient safety.  

“Quality improvement across the system occurs through collaboration. As we continue to work together, we are seeing many benefits.” Paul Scimeca, President and CEO of Glens Falls Hospital said. “The Albany Med Health System will continually evolve and improve in the future, and we look forward to working even more closely with Albany Medical Center, Columbia Memorial Health and Saratoga Hospital.”

Vankuren emphasized the shared commitment throughout the shared hospitals systems; the commitment to excellent patient care and continuous quality improvement.

“Patient safety is a top priority for the entire system.” she said. “Our goal, through collaboration and sharing of best practices, is for all our hospitals to achieve the highest grade.” The Albany Medical Health System includes: Albany Medical Center, Albany Medical College, Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital, and The Visiting Nurses.

The November 27th shooting incident that occurred in the Queensbury Route 9 Walmart parking lot is now believed to have started as a road rage incident. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office said that this incident, which occurred in the area of Northway Plaza led to a reported physical confrontation and shooting. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office arrested Adrian Simental, age 33. He has been charged with felony counts of attempted first-degree assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty to these charges on Wednesday, November 30th, at the Warren County CAP Court; Simental was remanded to Warren County Jail in lieu of the necessary bail. He is expected back in court Monday, December 6, at 9:00 AM.

Aggressive driving can take many forms: whether it be tailgating, weaving, poorly timed lane changes, or speeding. The AAA Foundation for Public Safety says aggressive driving is a factor in 54% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes: episodes of road rage have resulted in 30 deaths and 1,800 injuries in a single year.

Road rage occurs when a driver experiences extreme aggression or anger, leading them to intend to cause physical harm. There are steps one can take when involved in a road rage situation: The first thing to do is remain calm, and focus on driving safely. Do not engage the other driver or return hand gestures, and avoid eye contact. Keep your seatbelt buckled, in case of unexpected braking. If someone is following you due to a road rage situation, try to pull into a police station, or at least a public space; it is recommended that you avoid going home until the altercation is dealt with. If possible, write down a description of the car – including its license plate number – and some details about the driver. When you feel that it is safe, call 911. 

This road rage incident in Queensbury ended in a shooting. Warren County Sheriff Jim Lafarr said, “We strongly encourage everyone to avoid confrontation when faced with aggressive driving encounters, and we ask the public to seek assistance from law enforcement when confronted by a ‘road rage’ incident, rather than attempting to resolve these matters themselves.”