Seven of today’s 17 new COVID-19 cases in Albany County are linked to a Fourth of July party in several backyards on Hudson Avenue, bringing the total number of positives from that party to 22.

Counties have been running COVID-19 testing facilities, tracing contacts, managing quarantine, “leading a 24/7 emergency response” as well as providing food assistance to families and seniors in need and schoolchildren, said Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. At the same time counties are providing these essential, but often not budgeted services, Acquario said, they have “faced an economic quadruple threat.”

Another 13 Albany County residents tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, including four linked to a Fourth of July party in Albany, bringing that total to 15.

Albany County is dealing with a growing cluster of COVID-19 cases from a Fourth of July gathering where party-goers didn’t wear masks and didn’t keep their distance.

History is not just about where and what people have been but it provides a blueprint for where they will go and what they will be.

Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy sounded the alarm Wednesday because the county had 44 new COVID-19 cases, the highest one-day total since May 20. Throughout the week, the state announced initiatives to feed, house, and insure New Yorkers suffering from the coronavirus shutdown.

These local students at Fairfield University in Connecticut received dean’s list honors for the spring 2020 semester, each with a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher:
 

— Meghan Bruni of Altamont; 

— Alex Baker of Delmar; 

— Molly Lamendola of Delmar;

— Nina Panto of Delmar;

These local students were named to the dean’s list or similar honors from their college or university for the spring 2020 semester:

— Laura Kissel of Voorheesville, on president's list at  Genesee Community College with a grade point average of 3.75; 

These local students were named to the spring 2020 dean’s list at  SUNY New Paltz, with a grade-point average of 3.3 or higher:
 

— Amanda Bogatka of Schenectady;

— Samantha Buczeksmith of Delmar;

— Michael Considine of Delmar;

— Gabrielle DiMura of Voorheesville;

— Luke Dole of Delma;