Karen Nierlich: my children led me into the world of photography

Albany artist Karen Nierlich smiled at her photo show “Fragile and Resilient”at Albany Art Gallery. Nierlich wrote an article below about how her children helped her to enter the fascinating world of photography. Photo by Linda(Linjun) Fan.

As they say “kids change everything”. When I had my second child, one change I made was switching from painting to photography. I’d been a painter for 20 years, but now as a parent with two kids, I found I had little time for the solitary and intensive pursuit of painting.

Albany softball team crowned NCS champion

Albany Softball Team celebrated its NCS title Saturday at Levine-Fricke Field. Photo by Ned Purdom. Article by Rashad Alaiyan.

Albany Softball Team was crowned NCS champion after winning a tight match against its opponent from Concord High School at Levine-Fricke Field Saturday.

Albany high schooler wrestles with hard life choices

Taylor Raphael, an Albany high schooler, had walked through a turbulent journey in the past year, battling against drug addiction and winning wrestling matches. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan.

Taylor Raphael stood tall on the awarding podium of Newark Memorial High School Gym, smiling at flashing cameras and cheering audience. He had won fourth place in the North Coast Section Championship and would be the only Albany wrestler to compete in the state wrestling championship. Few in the the applauding crowd knew about the turbulent journey he had taken to be there.

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It was an afternoon in springtime, 2001. School was over. Taylor and another boy at Albany Middle School crept into a deserted concrete tunnel near the school. The boy, a seventh grader, a year older than Taylor, asked Taylor whether he would like to try some weed.

Albany Softball Team competes for NCS champion

Freshman Meagan Tokunaga at Albany High School rips a pitch to left in a softball game Wednesday. Her team has won three games this week and will compete for NCS champion Saturday. Photo by Daryn Singh. Article by Rashad Alaiyan.

Led by an outstanding performance by sophomore pitcher Sara Muse, the Albany Cougars defeated the Las Lomas Knights in a close second-round NCS softball game Wednesday.

Albany High School seniors reflect on college application experience

Ian Allen, a senior at Albany High School, will be attending Columbia University in the fall. Several hundred students will soon graduate from the school and go to various colleges across the country. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan.

Madeleine Miller-Bottome, another senior of the school, talked to Ian and several other students on their college application experiences and wrote the following story.

Photo: Geese in audience for baseball match

A group of wild geese strolled and foraged at Albany’s Ocean View Field while two baseball teams were competing in a match nearby. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan, Sunday, May 18th.

City of Albany urges residents to spend tax rebates at local shops

By Linda (Linjun) Fan

The City of Albany started a Recycle Your Rebate campaign recently to boost its stagnant economy, urging residents to spend $100 of their tax rebates in local restaurants and shops.

Albany’s Administration Office has mailed out a discount card to every household in the city, which can be used to receive discounts from several dozen local businesses.

“Shopping in Albany is convenient, friendly, and cuts down your gasoline use,” said City Administrator Beth Pollard.

Albany local businesses feel chill of recession

Cafe Raj, a popular Indian food restaurant on Solano Avenue of Albany, suffered a 30 per cent drop in sales revenue in recent months due to ongoing recession. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan.

The chill of a nationwide recession has struck businesses in Albany. Restaurants, retail shops, and hair salons in the city are losing profits significantly.

“People are really hurting, ” said Rosemarie Eichner-Raja, owner of Cafe Raj restaurant.

Albany Cougars win softball championship in Bay Shore Athletic League

Sarah Muse of Albany High School Softball Team fought in a fierce battle last Wednesday. Photo and article by Daryn Singh.

The Softball Team of Albany High School won the championship of Bay Shore Athletic League after beating Richmond’s Kennedy Eagles last Friday.

Finishing the league matches undefeated, the Cougar softballers will compete in North Coast Section Championship in the upcoming week.

Albany kids study cooking at MacGregor’s Culinary Arts Program

Alexia Richie, a teacher of the Culinary Arts Program of MacGregor High School greeted several dozen excited third-graders, who walked from Cornell Elementary to take their first cooking class. MacGregor has been offering weekly cooking classes to Albany children since Feburary. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan.

Slideshow: 2008 Albany Art and Music Festival

Albany’s young singers and musicians touched a chord in the community with their performance at the city’s Art and Music Festival Sunday. Watch the slideshow below for the fascinating moments of the festival:

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Albany celebrates cultural diversity at music festival

Albany resident Carol Ginsburg sang a Yiddish folk song at a storytelling and music festival at the Albany Community Center Saturday. Community members enjoyed a lively performance of Jewish songs, Native American stories, African American drumming, and Latin American instruments at the festival. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan.

Centennial banners appear on Albany streets

 

Allen Cain, Executive Director of Solano Avenue Association, put up a banner on Solano Avenue Sunday to celebrate Albany’s 100^th birthday. Several dozen banners, with various historical photos of Albany printed on them, are being posted on major streets of the city. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan.

Albany builds burrows, hoping to attract owls

Kathy Rushmore and Matt Russell stood outside of a newly-built fence at Albany Plateau, which prohibited them and their dog from entering an 8-acre land enclosed for burrowing owls. Photo by Linda (Linjun) Fan.

The City of Albany has put up a half-mile-long fence at the Albany Plateau recently, hoping to create a habitat for burrowing owls.

Spring Art and Music Festival at Memorial Park

The Spring Art and Music Festival of Albany is coming this Sunday, May 4th. From 11:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., the Albany Memorial Park will have art exhibitions, live music and performances by Albany’s local talents, and various games for kids.