Picente Will Return to the COVID-19 Briefing on Thursday

Remember those daily COVID-19 briefings of the past as Oneida County County Executive Anthony Picente reviewed the daily cases and deaths in the area? Prepare for another one of those on Thursday, as Picente has scheduled a briefing from the 10th floor of the Oneida County Office Building at 2:30 p.m..

Picente, despite being fully vaccinated, is coming off his second bout with COVID-19, one he said last week that came with some pretty difficult symptoms. The first time Picente had COVID last year, his symptoms were mild.

On Wednesday, the County Executive's office put out a media alert announcing the return (possibly a one-time event) of the familiar press conference. "County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. will be joined by Dr. Kent Hall, Chief Physician Executive for MVHS, to provide an update on the current COVID-19 situation in Oneida County. Media are invited to attend. Masks are required. For those who cannot attend, but would like to participate, a conference number can be provided upon request.

The county recently returned to issuing daily COVID-19 update press releases over the last several weeks, as cases have been on the rise since September. Wednesday's release showed 187 new COVID positive cases in the county for a total of 1,419 active cases. That brings the current positivity rate in Oneida County to 5.9%. There was one new COVID death announced in the county bringing the total number of deaths from the virus to 519.

It wasn't that long ago, July and August, when new daily cases were in the single digits. Cases increased as schools reconvened in-person classes in September, and since then new cases have been over 100 on an almost daily basis.

Picente's press event will be streamed live on Thursday at https://www.facebook.com/OneidaCountyGovernment.

New Hartford Dome Playoff Gallery

New Hartford Spartans

Utica's Chicken Riggies Dish Wasn't Invented in Utica? Say It Isn't So.

The now-famous Utica Chicken Riggies recipe has taken on a life of its own. The dish is now found well outside the Utica-Rome area and it's getting more and more popular as word spreads around the northeast. While there are many variations of the dish today, there's still only one original recipe. So, who created the first "Riggies" recipe and where did it really originate.

61 Amazing Snapshots of Utica's Most Unique Boilermaker Ever

The 2021 Utica Boilermaker Road Race will go down in the history books as one of the most unique, with an all-vaccinated field running the 5K and 15K on October 10th, without elite runners, and with thousands of regular participants sitting this one out because of COVID. The excitement this year was special and exclusive and there was no shortage of it, as seen through the lens of award winning photo-journalist Nancy L. Ford of Utica. Here are 61 awesome photos featuring some of the best moments from this year's race.

9 New Favorites from the New Menu at Utica's 72 Tavern and Grill

The 72 Tavern and Grill, a Utica, NY sports bar and restaurant connected to the Adirondack Bank Center, has now re-opened after an 18-month COVID-19 shutdown. The grand reopening has featured previous favorites from the previous menu, and some new updated menu items. Here are photos taken by photographer Nancy L. Ford of some of our favorites tasted during the restaurant's soft opening.

17 Amazing Vintage Utica, NY Collectables Selling Right Now on Ebay

Check out these very unique and vintage Utica, NY, created collectables that are for sale right now on Ebay. These items could make for unique holiday gift ideas. Prices range from $999 to $38.75 an there are links back to Ebay for each item.

13 Eyesight Myths That Have Been Completely Disproven

There are several untruths and innocent wives tales that have somehow seemed to stick over the years, despite the fact that they are unequivocally false. Often times, moms are the culprit in spreading these little lies as a way to keep their kids in line. Here are 13 myths about glasses and vision that are absolutely not true, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Plus we've added 5 of our own Bonus Myths, to keep your attention.

Filed Under: anthony picente, Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Categories: New York News