In the way most of us breathe air — an essential intake to sustain life — Leonard A. Slade Jr. breathes poetry.

“We did have a little bit of a dip in proficiency level from pre-pandemic,” said Rachel Anderson of Guilderland students’ test scores. This was typical across the state and nation.

ALBANY COUNTY — The pandemic — or at least the government declarations of emergency it engendered — is ending not with a bang but a whimper.

The library has negotiated new contracts with its union employees. Raises were needed, according to the library’s director, Timothy Wiles, because salaries were higher at other local libraries, making recruiting and retention difficult.

Last month, the Biden administration announced that it would spend $1.1 billion to provide free COVID vaccinations to uninsured Americans after the vaccines are commercially marketed.

“This is the East Berne firehouse but it’s the community’s place,” said Mary Alice Molgard, who chairs the board of fire commissioners.

Meredith Osta has dedicated her life to helping vulnerable people.

She began her career working in child welfare at Schenectady County Children and Family Services. Now, she is working at the other end of the age spectrum, helping elderly residents to stay in their homes.

The asphalt bike path will be part of the state Department of Transportation project replacing the bridge over Route 146, said supervisor Peter Barber. The pathway “would provide a linkage from Tawasentha Park over the bridge up to the winter rec area,” he said.

“I did not want to have nobody running,” Judy Slack told The Enterprise this week. She is now committed to serving for the next three years.

ALBANY COUNTY — The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has supported a second booster vaccine against COVID-19 for people 65 and older and for people who are immunocompromised.