TOP OF CAPITAL REGION SPORTS NATION THE NEWS Tulip Fest virtual again Pickett decides Biden reveals gun plan PEOPLE Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan to leave Siena President shares new steps to cites continuing concerns address recent shootings./A4 Mrs. World arrested over the pandemic./C1 Jalen Pickett decides EMPIRE STATE Sri Lanka police arrest reign- to enter NCAA trans- ing Mrs. World for pulling the Extras wanted fer portal and end his Protective bill renewed crown off of the Mrs. Sri Lan- Casting crew, others to arrive Siena career after Adult survivors would gain ka beauty pageant winner, in May and June for HBO’s three seasons and two time and support to deal with allegedly causing injuries./A2 drama, “The Gilded Age.”/C1 league titles./B1 trauma of abuse./A3

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STATE GOVERNMENT Some dispute ‘voluntary’ work on Cuomo book Current, former staffers was legal: The work was per- book-related assignments were formed voluntarily, he said, and made in the context of normal, say participation was was not a misuse of taxpayer- daily duties. “expectation” in office funded resources. One former staffer, who was But several current and for- among those asked to perform By Chris Bragg mer Cuomo staffers, or people tasks related to Cuomo’s book, speaking on their behalf, dis- said there was a “clear expecta- Albany puted that their work on tion that we would do political When news broke that Gov. “American Crisis” last year was work to help with his campaign Andrew M. Cuomo used gov- truly voluntary. Instead, they and run the governor’s personal ernment staff to help produce a told the Times Union the work errands in the Executive Cham- Associated Press for-profit book, his spokesman was expected within the culture ber.” In this image taken from video of the Office of the N.Y. Governor, Andrew asserted that the arrangement of Cuomo’s office, and that Please see CUOMOA3▶ M. Cuomo speaks during a news conference Wednesday in Albany. SPORTS HISTORY Budget expands access to pre-K Several Capital Region districts will receive grants to fund programs for the first time By Rachel Silberstein Albany Dozens of Capital Region school districts will soon be able to establish free childcare facilities for 4-year-olds with the help of funds in the 2021-22 state spending plan. The enacted New York budget pumps $105 million into an expansion of universal pre-kindergarten in 210 districts in upstate New York and Long Island that don’t cur- rently offer pre-school programs. Universal Pre-Kindergarten is a state grant-funded program to prepare 3- and 4-year-olds for kindergarten. Guilderland, Menands, East Greenbush, Shenendehowa, Schodack, and Bethlehem are among the Lori Van Buren /Times Union districts that will get UPK grants for the Friends, from left, Gary Payton, Lamar Horton and Swervo Payne play at Albany’s Madison Park courts Thursday. They’re first time this year, according to the state playing a game that dates back 130 years, though some wonder if the first game was really at a YMCA gym in Springfield, Mass. aid numbers released by the state Depart- ment of Education this week. State education officials praised the Origin story not a slam dunk? Please see PRE-KA5▶ HIRING Some say Mohawk Valley This photo of the first Herkimer village’s basketball claim YMCA team, with Albany looks to may edge Springfield’s Lambert Will seated in the By Wendy Liberatore middle of the diversify recruits second row, is By Steve Hughes Herkimer pointed to as Albany With basketball fans still rehashing evidence that this the outcome of this year’s NCAA sea- team played The city is making a push to increase son of March Madness, another bas- before the both the size and diversity of its next clas- ketball matchup is still unfolding and Naismith team in ses of police and fire department recruits. Herkimer, N.Y., is trying to upset Springfield, The efforts have been complicated by Springfield, Mass. Mass., did, based the coronavirus pandemic, forcing both Most would say the game is long on the date seen departments to take some unconventional over and Springfield clearly won it on the basketball. approaches to advertising and recruiting, more than a century ago. But in this as well as how they prepare potential can- contest over the game’s origin story, Herkimer 9 Foundation didates for the hiring process. some in this small village along the 1891. But that’s not how the late basket- The fire department, the second-biggest Mohawk River speculate the play of a “That day, a physical education ball promoter and Herkimer resident department in the city in terms of expens- local team may be evidence Herkimer instructor named Frank J. Basloe told it. In his 1952 es with a $36 million budget, has escaped beat Springfield to the game by nearly introduced a new game to his class of book “I Grew Up With Basketball,” some of the scrutiny the police department ayear. 18 young men in an otherwise unre- Basloe wrote the first game was has received for its lack of diversity in the Here’s the story the Basketball Hall markable gymnasium at the YMCA played Feb. 7, 1891 at a YMCA in Her- past. The police department’s budget tops of Fame in Springfield tells: The ath- International Training School in kimer. And, he added, that Naismith $55 million. letic director of the YMCA in Spring- Springfield,” the Hall of Fame’s web- actually got the idea for the game Last year, the only minority supervising field, invented basketball on Dec. 12, site notes. Please see HERKIMER A5 ▶ Please see RECRUITSA4▶

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