The 2021 hunting seasons in New York were the safest ever, with the lowest number of hunting-related shooting incidents, since record-keeping began, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation.

As the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to plummet from the mid-January Omicron peak, both statewide and in Albany County, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that all hospitals across the state can now perform elective procedures. The state had kept a list of hospitals, which Albany Medical Center was initially on, where staffed bed capacity was less than 10 percent, meaning elective procedures couldn’t be performed.

Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy opened his Feb. 21 Black History Month forum by saying he was proud that the county had brought COVID-19 testing into minority communities and also partnered with an ambulance company to bring vaccines to residents. According to the county’s records, a disproportionate number of white, rather than Black or Hispanic, residents died of COVID-19.

These local students were named to the dean’s list at Hamilton College in Clinton for the fall 2021 semester with a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher: 

— Emily Borden of Altamont, Borden, a sophomore, is a graduate of Guilderland Central H.S.;

These local students were named to the spring 2021 dean’s list at University of Rhode Island, with a grade-point average of 3.30 or higher:

Kc Aghanenu of Schenectady;

Emme Callender of Altamont;

Zachary Essex of Delmar;

Bella Evangelista of Slingerlands;

Austin Fox of Delmar;

These local students were named to the fall 2021 dean’s list at Fairfield University with a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher:

— Amelia Kedik of Altamont;

— Julia Higgins of Delmar;

— Molly Lamendola of Delmar;

— Nina Panto of Delmar;

— Caroline Burns of Slingerlands;

These local students were named to the dean’s list or received a similar honor from their college or university for the fall 2021 semester:

— Elizabeth Gannon of Albany, at University of New England in Maine with a grade point average of 3.3 or higher;

The new multi-pronged state plan includes $27.5 million a year for in-patient psychiatric beds, $9 million annually to recruit psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners; and $12.5 million a year for 500 more beds to house homeless people in their communities.

Patricia Sibilia, League of Women Voters Albany County

ALBANY COUNTY — Albany County, like the rest of the state, was in a holding pattern this week as the number of new COVID-19 cases and COVID-related hospitalizations continued to fall but mask mandates remain in places that Governor Kathy Hochul termed vulnerable — like schools — and also where large numbers of people gather and contact