What’s opened, what’s closed
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed Monday, Jan. 18. The following is a partial list of holiday schedule changes:
■ Banks: All closed.
■ Buses: CDTA will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule on Monday. There will no NX special shuttle service to the Empire State Plaza for the MLK celebration. 518-482-8822 or http://cdta.org.
■ Garbage: In Albany, garbage will be picked up as usual on Monday. In Schenectady, garbage pickup will be moved forward one day and will stay so until the next holiday. Private contractors’ schedules vary.
■ Government: Most federal, state, city, town and municipal offices closed.
■ Libraries: Albany Public Library is open, Schenectady Public Library is closed. Check with your library before visiting.
■ Mail: No pickup or delivery.
■ Schools and colleges: All closed.
■ Museums: The State Museum, Albany is closed during the pandemic. ■ Shopping: Malls and grocery stores will be open Monday.
Capital Region events
The Schenectady County Human Rights Commission hosts its annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. observance virtually at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17. This event is free, open to the public, and will stream live through the county’s youtube channel, www.youtube.com/schenectadycounty.the theme is Civil Rights Then and Now, which was conceived for New York State’s 2021 celebration of Dr. King. A presentation will be given by Dr. Janet Dewart Bell, author of Lighting the Fires of Freedom: African American Women in the Civil Rights Movement, a 2019 nominee for the NAACP Image Award and cited as a notable book by The New York Times. Master of Ceremonies is retired CBS 6 News Capital Bureau Chief Ken Screven.
The 49th annual Interfaith Memorial Service in honor of Martin Luther King will be a recorded program available at www.capareacc.org.the Capital Area Council of Churches will host. Part of the program will be an appeal for donations to the annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Scholarship Fund, an award presented to a student(s) who demonstrates academic merit, financial need, and most importantly, Dr. King's strength and determined character. The guest speaker is the Rev. Roxanne Jones Booth of Riverview Missionary Baptist Church, Coeymans. Dr. Christine Grant, a 1980 recipient of the MLK Scholarship, will also speak. Grant credits her scholarship with her success and has been working to empower individuals and groups towards academic excellence for over 25 years at the university level.
The city of Albany celebrates with a video airing on the Albany Events pages at noon Monday. Features the city's annual wreath laying ceremony, messages from area dignitaries, Albany School District students reading excerpts from the "I Have a Dream" speech and musical performances by local artists. This tribute celebrates the life and teachings of Dr. King and his impact on this community. Hosted by Tamani Wooley from Spectrum News featuring performances from Jordan Taylor Hill, JB!! Aka Dirty Moses and more.
The 22nd Capital Region Martin Luther King Holiday Labor and Community Celebration will take place 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday. The theme of this year’s free virtual program is “Rise Up! The Struggle Continues….” Keynote speakers will be Charles Barron (Assembly member District 60), Dr. Ron Daniels (President, Institute of the Black World 21st Century), and Denise Berkley (Executive Vice President, CSEA).
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2021 Event and Scholarship Program begins at 3 p.m. Sunday on Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/troyareaunitedministries Kathleen Mclean, MSW, MBA, President of the Mclean Group, will speak on: “Moments to Movements.” The event will also feature readings from Dr. King’s writings, music and opportunities to support the scholarship fund. Donations to the scholarship fund are encouraged, but the event is free. Proceeds will benefit the annual Ronald J. Dukes Memorial MLK Scholarship Fund.