Regional

ALBANY COUNTY — Phase two, affecting Albany County, of the School Tax Relief program known as STAR has started.

Eligible homeowners in communities with school tax due dates in August or September will start receiving their STAR benefit in the coming weeks, according to a release from the governor’s office.

In Albany County last year, according to data from the state’s health department, 871 ticks were collected from 12 sites, showing a population density of 41.69 percent.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets says the state has achieved “Unaffected” status as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Milk Testing Strategy designed to detect highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy herds.