Area’s jobless rate at seven-year high
Unemployment in the fivecounty Albany metro hit a seven-year high for January, rising to 6.0 percent of the labor force from 3.9 percent a year earlier, as the pandemic continues to have an impact on many businesses and their workers.
The number of unemployed workers rose to 26,700 from 17,600 a year earlier, according to a state Labor Department report released Tuesday.
The unemployment rate was the highest for January since 2014, when it stood at 6.1 percent.
The Labor Department last Thursday reported the fivecounty region had 31,600 fewer jobs in January than a year earlier, a decline of 6.8 percent. Among the hardest hit categories were leisure and hospitality and accommodation and food services, which saw a combined loss of 20,700 jobs.
The American Rescue Plan will provide some relief for those out of work, with an extension of unemployment benefits and a new round of stimulus checks.
Saratoga County’s unemployment rate was the region’s lowest at 5.3 percent, followed by Rensselaer County by 5.9 percent, Albany County at 6.0 percent, Schoharie County at 6.5 percent and Schenectady County at 6.8 percent.
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discovery+
This program features neverbefore-seen cases with your favorite foot doctors, as well as follow-ups with memorable patients to see how they are doing today.
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discovery+
Season Premiere! Former Brooklyn homicide prosecutor Anna-sigga Nicolazzi returns for Season 4 of the series in which she travels the country to reveal how the nation’s top prosecutors tackled their toughest cases.
OPERATION VARSITY BLUES: THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDAL
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Netflix
Reenactments drive this documentary investigating the mastermind behind a scam to sneak the kids of rich and famous families into top U.S. universities.
UNDER SUSPICION: UNCOVERING THE WESPHAEL CASE
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Netflix
New Series! This true-crime series follows the high-profile court case of Belgian politician Bernard Wesphael, who was accused of murdering his wife in 2013.
SAINT PATRICK STEWART DAY
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BBC America,
6 a.m.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a marathon of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes that are among Jean-luc Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) best. Highlights include “The Best of Both Worlds” (Season 4), “Time’s Arrow” (Season 5), “Chain of Command” (Season 6), “Tapestry” (Season 6) and the series finale, “All Good Things...” (Season 7).
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY
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TRUE CONVICTION
beginning at
TCM, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Catch a Classic! On the day when we celebrate all things Irish, Turner Classic Movies gets into the spirit of the holiday with more than 20 hours of movies with Irish themes and/or stars. Today’s full lineup, in order, includes: “Irene” (1940), “Little Nellie
Kelly” (1940), “The Daughter of Rosie O’grady” (1950), “Flight of the Doves” (1971), “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968), “The Quiet Man” (1952), “Young Cassidy” (1965), “Odd Man Out” (1947) and “Ryan’s Daughter” (1970).
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NBCSN, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Live
A pair of Wednesday Night Hockey matchups on NBCSN has the Philadelphia Flyers at the N.Y. Rangers, followed by a Canadian clash between the Edmonton Oilers and the Flames in Calgary.
RIVERDALE: “CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR: LOCK & KEY”
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The CW, 8 p.m.
A big announcement forces everyone to take stock of their current lives. Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) sets a risky plan in motion after learning some surprising news about Toni (Vanessa Morgan). Jughead (Cole Sprouse) tries to make sense of a strange encounter he had. Kevin (Casey Cott) and Fangs (Drew Ray Tanner) make a big decision about their future together.
THE MASKED SINGER: “GROUP B PREMIERE — SHAMROCK AND ROLL”
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NHL HOCKEY
FOX, 8 p.m.
Group B performers take to the stage for the first time, and one will be unmasked at the end of the new episode “Group B Premiere — Shamrock and Roll.”
■ CHICAGO MED: “FOR THE WANT OF A
NAIL”
NBC, 8 p.m.
As Maggie (Marlyne Barrett) deals with her own trauma, she steps in to help a mother in need. Meanwhile, Dean (Steven Weber) continues to stir the pot with more than one doctor, and a patient comes to Med needing immediate treatment, but doesn’t want it from them.
MYSTERIES OF THE UNKNOWN: “POISONOUS INK, CRITICAL FLIGHT AND A SURPRISING VICTORY”
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Travel Channel, 8 p.m. Don Wildman examines a pen and inkwell connected to a poisonous political plot, a routine flight gone terribly wrong and a mule that was entered in a horse race.
FARMHOUSE FIXER: “THIRD GENERATION RENOVATION”
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HGTV, 9 p.m.
A historical house from 1873 is transformed into a vibrant, modern home for a young family. Jonathan Knight and designer Kristina Crestin give this family of five a home with fun colors, shiny brass, whimsical bird wallpaper and even a beehive.
CHICAGO FIRE: “DOUBLE RED”
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NBC, 9 p.m.
Mouch (Christian Stolte), Gallo (Alberto Rosende), Ritter (Daniel Kyri) and Mackey (Adriyan Rae) report for training. Meanwhile, a nasty blow to the head brings Casey (Jesse Spencer) unimaginable pain.
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A&E, 10 p.m.
Two episodes of vehicular lunacy: A woman climbs atop the hood to escape a carjacking, a bus driver is attacked in a case of road rage, and a 2-ton truck nearly kills someone on an impound lot.
FOOD PARADISE: “LIKE MAMA MADE”
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Cooking Channel, 10 p.m. In an episode on comfort food, better known as our daily way to get by, look for fried chicken in Atlanta, mac ’n’ cheese in Detroit, meatloaf in Kansas City and more cozy goodness.
SNOWFALL: “THE GET BACK”
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I SURVIVED A CRIME
FX, 10 p.m.
Drug kingpin Franklin Saint (Damson Idris) must choose between loyalty and the wellbeing of his business and family when a longtime ally’s reckless mistake causes a rival gang leader to seek vengeance. More trouble looms as reporter Irene Abe’s (Suzy Nakamura) investigation moves closer to the Saints.
■ CHICAGO P.D.: “IMPOSSIBLE DREAM”
NBC, 10 p.m.
When a local business owner is gunned down in his shop, it becomes personal for Atwater (Laroyce Hawkins), who patrolled the neighborhood as a young cop. Meanwhile, Dep. Supt. Samantha Miller (Nicole Ari Parker) comes to Voight (Jason Beghe) with a special request about Andre Cooper.
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