For Nancy, grocery shopping is all about research.

At 71, she is a Slingerlands resident who receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called food stamps. To make the most of the $74 she gets monthly, she reads three circulars to find the best prices.

The cuts in food stamps have left local charities scrambling and some of our neighbors are hungry. We need to give what we can until the government realizes the cuts are poor economy.

After two consecutive winless seasons, the Guilderland hockey team is on the chopping block in the proposed GCSD budget. Other high school hockey teams are also struggling to get players.

These local students have been named to the dean’s list or received a similar honor from their college or university for the fall 2013 semester:

— Annie Choiniere, a Berne-Knox-Westerlo High School graduate at the State University of New York College at Cortland where she is majoring in communications;

These local students have been named to the Marist College Dean’s List for the fall 2013 semester:

— Tara D’Andrea of Slingerlands;

— John Dibella of Schenectady;

— Taylor Mead of Schenectady;

— Emily Norris of Voorheesville;

These local students were named to the dean’s list for the fall 2013 semester at the College of Saint Rose: 

— Joseph Atwood of Schenectady;

— Hannah Conroy of Altamont;

— Jenna Herbert of Schenectady;

— Amber Moak of Voorheesville;

These local students were named to the University at Albany’s fall 2013 dean’s list for outstanding academic achievement:

— Lori Araneo of Altamont;

— Emma Simpson of Altamont;

— Lukas Sotola of Altamont;

— Chelsea Merrill of Altamont;

These local students earned the University at Albany’s fall 2013 Dean’s Commendation for outstanding academic achievement:

— Nikki Moore of Guilderland;

— Jane Anyango Gregory of Guilderland;

— Daniel McKenna of Guilderland;

The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting applications for its cooperative Day-Old Pheasant Chick Program. In 2013, the DEC distributed 41,500 day-old pheasant chicks to qualified 4-H and sportsmen applicants.