📣 College of St. Rose graduates its final class

Good morning, Capital District. This weekend, it’s a tale of two cities with the Albany Tulip Festival 🌷🌷 on one side, and the final commencement for the College of St. Rose 🎓 💛 on the other 😢… Btw, our Top 5 Weekend Roundup debuts today. Check it out below.

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Today in The 518

• College of St. Rose holds its last ever commencement ceremony

• New York bottle recyclers want more than a damn nickel

• ShopRite stores become Market32 grocery markets

• Top 5 Weekend Picks & News of the Weird

Grab your reading glasses, gramps.

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

📣 TALK OF THE TOWN

College of St. Rose calls it quits this week after 104 years

It lasted just over a century. Founded in 1920 (the same year women won the right to vote), the College of Saint Rose sends off its graduating class for the final time on Saturday at the MVP Arena. The college closes its doors for good this week, the shocking result of poor financial decisions made over two decades.

As you might imagine, students and faculty are mourning this moment. “It’s upsetting to walk around here knowing I’m the last graduating class,” said St. Rose senior Skylar Stabin.

It’s a crushing blow to the city as well. What becomes of the school’s 48-acre Pine Hills campus is the next big question. If you have ideas, the college is seeking public feedback. Send them to [email protected].

New York bottle recyclers want more than a nickel

Five cents. That’s what you get for returning an empty bottle in New York. The refund amount hasn’t changed since the Bottle Bill was passed in 1983. Recyclers recently rallied at the State Capitol to get the bottle deposit raised, saying they can hardly afford to stay in business.

In 2018, there were some 1,100 recycling centers around the state. Today, there are an estimated 750. "They come in, we give them a nickel. And then when we have to hand it in, we get eight and a half cents," explained Peter Sidote, who has run a redemption center on Long Island for 40 years. The redemption rate reached a record 70% in 2021. That’s a mountain of trash getting a second, useful life. ♻️ 👏

Legislators are definitely getting a message in a bottle—raising the deposit directly supports small businesses, reduces litter and encourages recycling.

ShopRite stores transforming into Market32 locations

People are attached to their grocery stores. Like super attached. So it’s news when you see ShopRites turning into Market32s. In December, the ShopRite chain said it would shut down five ShopRite stores in the Capital Region. (See a map of their locations.)

The ShopRite at 1730 Central Ave in Colonie is the first, but not the last, to get the Market32 makeover. Will you miss shopping at ShopRite in your area?

☔ WEATHER WATCH

Break out your tulip umbrella 🌷☂️. Looks like there’s a good chance it’s gonna be damp for the Tulip Festival this weekend.

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🗞️ CAPITAL DISTRICT DIGEST

Saratoga to host 6-day Belmont on Broadway festival

Did the Kentucky Derby’s photo finish 🐎 📷 make you hot to trot? Come on down to downtown Saratoga for its Belmont on Broadway festival, coinciding with the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and, of course, the Belmont Stakes itself. Blues Traveler will headline a free outdoor concert on June 5. Expect a massive crowd—20,000 people came out for their last show.

Sing in the Streets returns to Saratoga Springs

Seems like the Spa City is getting all of the fun. Local institution Caffé Lena is bringing back its “Sing in the Streets” music festival on May 19. The free, family-friendly festival (say that 5x fast 😂) is happening downtown on six stages from 12 to 4 p.m. Details here.

Critically injured UAlbany student wakes up from coma

Alexa Kropf is awake, breathing on her own, and in stable condition. The UAlbany freshman has spent almost two weeks in a medically induced coma after being critically injured by an illegally driven dirt bike in Albany. Read the update her family posted.

🎟️ TOP 5: WEEKEND PICKS

1. Bring your mom (and your wallet) to the 76th Annual Albany Tulip Festival. In addition to the spectacular gardens in Washington Park, you can expect all kinds of sights, sounds and tastes (not to mention huge crowds) for Albany’s signature spring event. Sat & Sun, 11a-6p. Free.

2. The Albany Twilight Market is the night market for lovers of the strange and unusual. Think taxidermy, goth apparel, curated antiques, macabre jewelry, witchcraft and apothecary, tarot readers, and (the horror) vegan food. Just kidding. We love vegan food 😋. Sat, 5-9p. Free.

3. Get ready to craft a match. If you’re single, ready to mingle, and love a good IPA, Love Is Brewing: Singles Fest at Wolf Hollow in Schenectady is just for you. $40 ticket gets you beer, food and a chance at romance. Two words of caution: beer goggles. Sat, 11a-2p.

4. Gearheads will be flocking to the 22nd Annual Spring Auto Show in Saratoga, where nearly 1,000 classic cars, hot rods and newer models will be on display. Proceeds support the Saratoga Automobile Museum. 9a-2p, Sat. Free; $10 parking.

5. Brush up on your Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics. The Ultimate Queen Celebration at The Egg promises to rock you. Yvan Pedneault and his Freddy Mercury-like vocals have been blessed by the band itself. 8p, Sat. $60 and up. Tix still available.

👽 NEWS OF THE WEIRD

A man apparently competing for the Darwin Awards was caught on video sitting on top of a fast-moving car weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 87. But more interestingly, there’s a raging debate among locals in the comments section about what to call the I-87. Who calls it the Northway??

Shout out to Two Buttons Deep for sharing the video.

🎸 MUSIC ROUNDUP

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Get in touch with us anytime at [email protected]!