Brian Lee, Author at The Gloversville Leader Herald

13 Dec

Capital Region communities ready for winter despite some shortages; Schenectady has about 10 open positions

Brian Lee0 CommentsLocal NewsCapital Region, infrastructure, roads, snow, snow plowing, traffic, winter, workers

CAPITAL REGION — Highway officials for cities, towns and counties in the area say they’re confident in their ability to keep roads clear of snow this winter, even with a national shortage of plow drivers and a backlog on vehicle repair parts.The official start of winter is Dec. 21, and so far the region has experienced a handful of “nuisance” storms of just an inch or two.On a yearly basis, the Albany area averages just shy of 60 inches of snow a year from October to April, including 13.3 inches in December, 15.6 inches in January, 13.7 inches in February and 12 inches in…

11 Dec

Governor’s face mask mandate runs from Monday until at least Jan. 15

Brian Lee0 CommentsLocal News, New York News

CAPITAL REGION - New Yorkers will be required to wear face masks in public indoor places beginning Monday, until at least Jan. 15, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday.Businesses or venues that have implemented a vaccine requirement are exempted from the new rule, Hochul said.The requirement, set in place as statewide COVID-19 rates climb, aims to address the winter surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations statewide, Hochul said. It also aligns with the federal Centers for Disease Control’s recommendations for communities with substantial and high transmission. Violators could be fined up to $1,000, Hochul said.A previous facemask mandate had been lifted in June by…

30 Nov

Johnstown deli owner given life, no parole in killing whistleblower employee Allyzibeth Lamont

Brian Lee0 CommentsHomepage, Local News

Photo Caption: Georgios Kakavelos beside his new attorney Mark Sacco for sentencing Tuesday. ERICA MILLER/THE LEADER-HERALD BALLSTON SPA - A Johnstown deli owner who ambushed and killed an employee -- 22-year-old Allyzibeth “Ally” Lamont -- for blowing the whistle on his litany of labor law violations was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Tuesday in Saratoga County Court. Georgios Kakavelos, 53, of Milton, showed little to no emotion as Judge James A. Murphy announced the sentencing, the county’s first-ever first-degree murder conviction since the statute was enacted. Kakavelos, the owner of the Local No. 9 Smokehouse…

30 Nov

Kakavelos sentenced to life, no parole in Johnstown deli murder of Allyzibeth Lamont

Brian Lee0 CommentsOther

BALLSTON SPA - Former Johnstown deli owner Georgios Kakavelos was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Gloversville resident Allyzibeth Lamont in 2019.Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy III imposed the sentence after hearing from Lamont's family, including her mother, who called Kakavelos a failure as a businessman and as a human being.Kakavelos, 53, of Milton, was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the death of Lamont after a June trial.The June verdict ended an intense six-week trial filled with brutal details about the killing of a young woman who…