Aviation Mall will be hosting a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on Friday, September 22nd, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, across from Regal Cinema.

The American Red Cross national blood supply has fallen to critically low levels, dropping nearly 25% since early August, and potentially threatening the medical care of patients with an emergency need for blood. Donors of all blood types are urgently needed!

During this blood drive, donors will be automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two and a VIP experience to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Races at Darlington Raceway! (Terms and conditions apply).

For more information, or to make an appointment to donate, please call 1-800-REDCROSS, or sign up online at redcrossblood.org with sponsor code AVIATIONMALLNY.

The C.R. Wood Cancer Center is proud to offer a variety of virtual support groups, including the ABC (After Breast Cancer) Support Group. This group is intended for any individual that has been diagnosed with breast cancer, is currently undergoing treatment, has been newly diagnosed, or is a survivor.

These virtual meetings are currently every 4th Monday of each month from 6:00 PM to 7:00 pm. For more information and to sign up for a group, please contact Vicki Yattaw, RN, BSN,OCN, at (518) 926-6639, or vyattaw@glensfallshosp.org.

For more information on all of the service groups available, please visit https://www.glensfallshospital.org/services/hospital/cancer-center/support-services -surviorship-programs/ 

The C.R. Wood Cancer Center offers a broad range of services, from preventative care to clinically advanced treatments. The staff helps patients to balance the realities of day to day life with personalized treatment plans with compassion and expertise.

Three confirmed harmful algal blooms (HABs) were spotted in three different bays on Lake George on September 12th: Basin Bay, Huddle Bay, and Oneida Bay. This is the first sighting of a HAB in the northern basin of the Lake.

The blooms in the Lake’s southern basin were discovered by researchers for The Jefferson Project, with the bloom near Hague being spotted by LGA Water Quality Research Manager, Brea Arvidson. Photos for all three were sent to NY’s Department of Environmental Conservation, which confirmed the sightings as HABs and put them on its NYHABS map.

The Jefferson Project is currently analyzing samples of the blooms for genome and toxins to determine the species, if it is toxic, and if it carries the gene for toxins. Results are expected in the last week of September. Previously occurring HABs in Lake George have not been toxic.

The Jefferson Project team will also analyze the data it collects on Lake George to help identify the cause of these blooms. What is immediately apparent: Two of the HABs showed up in the same vicinity as last year, but a month earlier than the confirmed October 26, 2022 blooms in Basin and Huddle bays.

The small but recurring number of HABs on Lake George is what prompted the LGA to start its AlgaeWatch community science program in 2022. AlgaeWatch volunteers monitor shoreline or near-shore areas around their homes, businesses, or other areas they frequent, documenting and reporting any algae growth they see to the LGA. This information helps the LGA track the extent of ongoing blooms, and guides the establishment of HAB sampling locations for The Jefferson Project.

On September 21st, 2023, in recognition of National Opioid and Substance Awareness Day, there will be Narcan training and distribution in Glens Falls and Warrensburg. For this event, Warren County Health Services is partnering with the Adirondack Health Institute, Alliance for Positive Health, and the Hope & Healing Recovery Community and Outreach Center.

Training and distribution will take place from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM at Community Action located at 190 Maple Street in Glens Fall, and from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Cumberland Farms located at 3805 Main Street in Warrensburg. This opioid antidote will be distributed free of charge!

Narcan is a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses… But Naloxone, which is sold under the name Narcan, is a safe medication that can save someone’s life by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone only works on opioids such as heroin, prescription pain medication, and fentanyl. These distribution sites will be staffed by community organizations trained in Narcan administration. The training will include recognizing an overdose, Naloxone administration, and what to expect after naloxone is given. There will also be harm reduction information provided with Narcan kits. 

This event is open to anyone in need of Narcan kits or harm reduction information. Individuals who are struggling with opioid addiction, or who have a loved one who is struggling with this addiction, are encouraged to attend to receive a free Narcan rescue kit and training for its use. 

Warren County Director of Health Services, Ginelle Jones, understands the need for this resource: “We continue to see the devastating impact that opioids have on our community… Increased availability of Narcan, and offering training to those who would like to learn how to use it, can save lives and give those struggling with opioid addiction a chance to seek treatment to overcome their addiction,” she said. 

New York State’s Good Samaritan Law allows people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they are having a drug overdose that requires emergency medical care, or if they witness someone overdosing. 

The Adirondack Health Institute has installed Narcan rescue kits around Warren County that are available free to the public 24/7. There are 37 emergency box locations within a twenty mile radius of Glens Falls. These Narcan emergency boxes are filled with four doses of Narcan, and are intended for emergency use during a suspected overdose.

For more information, please visit ahihealth.org

Are You a Homeless Veteran? Do you have an eviction notice? Supportive Services For Veterans Families (SSVF) is a Veterans Administration (VA) funded Case Management program for homeless veteran families and at-risk veteran families. Supportive services grants have been awarded to selected private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives, that will assist very-low-income veteran families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing. Grantees will provide a range of supportive services to eligible veteran families that are designed to promote housing stability.

SSVF provides intensive short term case management services and assistance in looking for affordable housing units, as well as providing educational programs, including financial literacy and budgeting. They also provide resources to find both public and federal benefits, aid in job searches, make referrals to community resources, and potentially even financial assistance – which is based on need and availability, and determined on a case by case basis. 

Aubrie Spencer, 15, went missing from her mother’s home in Glens Falls on September 13th, 2023. Aubrie is 5-foot 3-inches tall with brown hair, multiple nose piercings, and a birthmark on her neck. 

It is believed that she is with a 14 year old boy who is 5-foot 5-inches tall with bright red hair.

The family has posted fliers throughout Glens Falls and on some social media sites. Aubrie is familiar with the Capital Region, and could be anywhere between Glens Falls and Albany. 

She left her mother’s house through a window at about 11:20 PM on September 13th. The family is worried about the state of her mental health and ask people not to approach her, but to instead call Aubrie’s mother, Jennifer Donnelly at (518) 832-3374, or Brian Blachut at (518) 742-6891, or The Glens Falls Police Department at (518) 761-3840 .