Landmarks across New York will be lit in red, white, and blue to celebrate Independence Day, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today.

Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen said of the 14 positive COVID-19 tests in a single day, “Even though today may be a blip, 14 cases is a big concern … This is a direction that can take us backwards.”

Recent high school graduates — Erin Young of Voorheesville, Laila Jerome of Guilderland, and Tyler Goodemote of Berne-Knox-Westerlo — had their senior years upended by the pandemic but adapted, each in their own inimitable way.

The Society of Professional Journalists last week announced the winners of its 2019 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for excellence in journalism.

The editor and co-publisher of The Altamont Enterprise, Melissa Hale-Spencer, was shocked to have won an award for editorial writing. 

ALBANY COUNTY — Albany County corrections officer Ryan M. Lawson was charged on Wednesday with falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor.

The Albany County Sheriff’s office had put out a release earlier this week, saying an unnamed employee had had a lit firework tossed into his living room on Saturday night.

These local students were named to the Dean’s List at RIT for the spring 2020 semester, each with a grade-point average of 3.4 or higher:
 

— Brian Herzog of Slingerlands, majoring in computer engineering;

— Samantha Smith of Delmar, majoring in biotechnology and molecular bioscience;

These local students were named to the Spring 2020 Dean’s List at The College of Saint Rose, comprised of students with a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher:
 

— Raina Briggs of Delmar;

— Elaina Brown of Altamont;

— Ethan Lawrence of Voorheesville;

— Anne Lin of Slingerlands;

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

— Peyton Legg of Altamont, majoring in political science at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina, with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher;

GUILDERLAND — “My childhood friend had COVID. You saved her life. No words can express my gratitude.”