📣 Tick season is off the rails this year

Today in The 518

• Eww: Tick season is off to a very, very bad start

• Local TikTok breakfast star to open his own dining spot

• School buses armed with cameras to catch impatient drivers

Tick-borne diseases have doubled in New York State

Mid-May to mid-August is peak tick season. And these little buggers are out there mating and biting in record numbers, due to more mild winters (ahem, climate change) and booming deer populations (blame it on Bambi 🦌). New York reported nearly 16,800 Lyme disease cases in 2022, more than double recent highs of about 8,000 cases. This year, ER visits for tick bites are on pace to reach record levels.

The Times Union just profiled a 2-year-old girl from Saranac who contracted the Powassan virus from a tick, a life-threatening situation that put her in the hospital for SIX months. She’s lucky to be alive, her family says.

Here’s what to do to prevent bringing home these nasty hitchhikers. Putnam County also put out this excellent guide for spotting and avoiding ticks.

Here at The 518, we do full-body tick checks any time we’re out in the woods. Did you know they love to snuggle down in moist areas like your groin and armpits? 🪲 Ewww.

TikTok star to open new diner in Voorhesville

Dining cook Dylan Longton has attracted 184K followers on TikTok who love watching him flip eggs and dish up breakfast at the Windowbox Cafe in Slingerlands. Now the star of the “Pretty Alright Breakfast Club,” as he calls it, is opening up his very own spot in the former Gracie’s Kitchen location in Voorhesville. Launch date is around June 13. Here’s Dylan previewing the opening on TikTok. And read the profile of the viral TikToker in the Times Union.

Don’t let anyone tell you flipping 🥞 isn’t a great career move! It’s 2024 in America 🇺🇸 👏

Stop driving around stopped school buses, y’all

Local school buses are now installing cameras that can capture the license plates of cars that try to pass while the stop-arm is out. That’s a fat $250 ticket. And the NY State Legislature just changed the law to make it harder to get out of these tickets.

Who knew school buses had cameras? Did you also know that you’re supposed to stop in BOTH directions while the bus is letting off or picking up children? Bottom line: 🛑 for the school 🚌, folks.

Expect warmer temperatures, but damp days for the rest of the week. Here at The 518 garden, our 🪻🌷 are loving the May showers.

The Great Escape 🎢 opens this weekend

A summer tradition for many upstate families, Six Flags Great Escape is opening its gates for the 70th season on Saturday. New this year is The Bobcat, the first wooden roller coaster built in New York in 25 years! Other upgrades include the return of the original Swan Boats, better dining options and easier parking. Btw, the park is hiring for loads of positions this season.

Schenectady's miSci to get $10M in mid-life upgrades

We love taking the kids to the miSci. But truthfully, at 50+ years old, the Museum of Science and Innovation is showing its age. That’s why we were thrilled to hear that the New York State budget passed in April includes $10 million to support critical infrastructure and engineering upgrades for miSci. Watch this BTS tour of the museum with Democratic State Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, who pushed to get the money. Btw, the museum’s new exhibit on Leonardo da Vinci’s Machines in Motion opens May 25.

Turn in your gat 🔫 and get back some Benjamins

The office of Attorney General Letitia James is hosting a gun buyback program in Watervliet on Saturday. Get a $500 gift card per assault rifle, $250 per handgun, and $75 per shotgun. No questions asked, but you might get a glance or two 👀. Details here.

Albany Greek Festival

Spanakopita, anyone? Satisfy your Greek cravings at the 52nd annual Albany Greek Festival at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church. 6p-10p, Friday. Noon-10p, Sat. Noon-6p, Sun. $5 (free for children under 12). Details here.

Tulip Dig & Sale

Loved going to the Albany Tulip Festival and want some of those gorgeous bulbs for your own garden? You’re in luck. Washington Park’s annual post-fest Dig & Sale gives you the chance to dig up 30 bulbs for just $10—while supplies last. Oh, bring your own garden fork (not a shovel!). 9a-noon, Sat, dig. 9a-noon, Sun, sale. $10.

Mendelssohn Club of Albany's Annual Spring Concert

At the Tulip Fest, The 518 ran into a member of the Mendelssohn Club, the all-male choir that has been running continuously in Albany since 1909. Funny, he didn’t look that old, but he did tell us about the club’s big spring concert, featuring songs from popular Broadway musicals. 7:30-9:30p, Friday, $22. Details here.

Waterford Canal Festival

Celebrating the opening of the New York State canal season, the annual fest features boat tours, live music, craft and food vendors, kids activities and dance performances. Stroll along the canal as you watch the amazing locks in operation. 10a-6p, Sat. 10a-3p, Sun. Free. Details here.

Reptile Expo in Albany

Looking for a python to warm up your bed? The Capital District Reptile Expo slithers back to the Albany Capital Center this weekend. 10a-4p, Sun, $10. Parking $8-10. Get tix here.

CBS 6 just revisited what has been called the Berkshires' own Amityville horror story. Lee, Mass., residents Lui Passetto and his wife Dale, claimed that they were visited by a demon in 1981. The not-so-friendly spirit lifted the bed two feet off the ground and shouted dirty vicious words at them in a deep raspy voice a la “The Exorcist” (possibly the scariest movie ever made).

According to CBS, “Dale says she was attacked in the middle of the night by an inhuman being that clawed her stomach, her back and her breast—leaving her with a hot burning sensation. At other times he appeared as a gentle, small boy dressed in white.” Uhhh, someone pass the holy water ✝️.