Some are already getting ready for the holidays, and if you have strings of lights that don't work, you can trade them in at Home Depot for new, energy efficient lights.

Home Depot will give you coupons for three to five dollars off your purchase.

This annual Christmas Light Trade-in event runs until November 14.

CDPHP is urging Capital Region residents to become familiar with the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. According to CDPHP, cases of the bacterial disease have been on the rise in recent years in the Capital Region.

Elizabeth Whalen, MD, MPH, medical director, CDPHP said 60 to 80 percent of people infected with the disease display a rash resembling a bulls eye or solid red patch, from two to six inches in diameter. The rash is usually not painful or itchy and it appears three to 30 days after a tick bite.

“Antibiotics are most effective when administered during this time period. Patients who are treated in this early stage of Lyme disease usually recover rapidly and completely,” said Whalen.

Reducing exposure to ticks is the best prevention against Lyme disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends several methods to avoid being bitten by a tick.

Governor Cuomo announced Thursday FreshConnect grants to 34 projects around the state that will help increase access to New York farm products for residents in low-income and underserved areas.

"This is really a win-win situation for farmers and for families across the state as we try to provide more access and easier access to locally grown, fresh farm products," said Governor Cuomo in a statement. "These FreshConnect grants will support creative solutions to get New York farm products to underserved areas of the state, creating new economic opportunities for our farmers while, at the same time, providing healthy options for more New Yorkers."

Below are local grant recipients: