So far, four Albany County gyms have passed inspection to reopen. The county is urging gym owners to request inspections through its website.

 “For every $100 spent at a local store, approximately $48 stays in the community … If you spend that on a chain store, about $14 stays in the community … That’s a huge difference,” said Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy on Tuesday as he launched a “Shop local” campaign. 

On Monday, the governor issued an executive order to ease mail-in voting, and the state’s Office for the Aging encouraged older New Yorkers, of which there are 4.3 million, to get current with all recommended immunizations.

While the news, statewide and locally, on controlling the spread of coronavirus continues to be good, the fiscal news — a report on state tax receipts shows a 10-percent decline —  continues to be bleak.

Sweeping voter reforms and an extension for protecting tenants were part of the governor’s pandemic response on Thursday.

A letter to the Enterprise editor this week urges local governments to adopt resolutions that call for New York State to be split into three autonomous regions, effectively separating the upstate region from New York City. Bills introduced by New York State Assemblyman David DiPietro and New York State Senator Robert Ortt last year attempt to formalize the idea, which is derived from a decades-old push to make the New York City region its own state. 

Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy cited statistics on two leading underlying health issues of New Yorkers who had died from COVID-19: 13,000 with hypertension and 9,000 with diabetes. Regular physical activity, McCoy said, could improve or prevent these conditions.

The fall flu season looms as schools plan to reopen while facing a drastic decline in state funds.

These local Union College students were named to the dean's list for spring 2020 semester with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher:

— Matthew Cullen of Schenectady, member of the class of 2020 majoring in biochemistry;

— Nurupa Ramkissoon of Schenectady, member of the class of 2021 majoring in biochemistry;