May 19, 2008
Graduations, school budget increases, discounts on heroin, bickering in Troy, dress codes at The Track
UAlbany, RPI, Skidmore and Siena all held gradations this past weekend. [TU] [TU] [Saratogian] [Troy Record]
Stillwater police have accused a Watervliet man of holding a woman captive for three weeks. [WNYT]
On average, proposed school budgets in the Capital Region are up more than 6 percent from last year. Proposed property tax increases aren't quite as high, though, because some of the new spending is being offset by money from the state. The vote on school district budgets is tomorrow. [TU]
The Schenectady drug operation that allegedly involved the former police chief's wife continues to provide story fodder. The latest details: dealers worked on schedules and argued whether it was fair that one dealer got one of the ring's phones every weekend, sales locations changed frequently, and you had to buy five bags of heroin to get a discount. [Daily Gazette]
A developer says the seemingly constant fighting between Troy mayor Harry Tutunjian and the city council is hurting economic development in the city. The developer says government officials need to start acting like "gentlemen." (No, there aren't any women on the Troy City Council.) [Troy Record]
Apparently any reference to 9/11 is off-limits when making a custom New York license plate. References to Osama Bin Laden are also a no-no. [TU]
Dress codes at The Track might be easing. A little. The new rules will be announced in June. [Daily Gazette]
Jaws at The Palace
(Cue ominous music)
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to The Palace, the biggest, scariest movie star of 1975 is back. No, not Jack Nicholson -- the giant shark from Jaws.
Tonight at 7 the classic film series at Albany's Palace Theater winds up its season with the 1976 Academy Award winning film that scared the bejesus out of beach lovers everywhere. (And launched the idea of the blockbuster summer movie.) We're not sure how the special effects will hold up after 30 years, but it's #46 on AFI's list of the 100 best movies of all time, and it's a chance to see what Spielberg did before he was "SPIELBERG." That alone makes it well worth the $5 price of admission.
Virgil's in Saratoga: coffee without the buzz
Unplug before entering.
Kathleen Quartararo wants you to visit Virgil's House, her coffee shop in Saratoga
Springs, but your laptop can stay at home. And your cell phone? Off, please.
In a day when most of us are looking for a place with a good latte AND free wifi, Kathleen is bucking the trend in an effort to create an old fashioned unplugged environment. No phones, no texting, no computers. Why? AOA called her (yes, on our cell phone) to find out.
The WEXT Top 15
From our friends at Exit 97.7 WEXT, the 15 most-played songs on the station during the last week:
- Glad It's Over - Wilco
- Hollow Man - R.E.M.
- Scare Easy - Mudcrutch
- Violet Hill - Coldplay
- Dance With Me - Old 97s
- Fighter Girl - Mason Jennings
- I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab For Cutie
- I'm Amazed - My Morning Jacket
- 1492 - Counting Crows
- Always Where I Need to Be - The Kooks
- A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
- Aretha, Sing One For Me - Cat Power
- Bottle It Up - Sara Bareilles
- Burn You Up, Burn You Down - Big Blue Ball
- Dream Catch Me - Newton Faulkner
After the jump, songs that will hit the playlist for the first time this week -- including new stuff from Flight of the Conchords and Katie Haverly.
What about us?
Stinging retail development data point of the day: Birmingham, AL (yes, Alabama) has a Whole Foods and we don't.
Gas prices: it's getting hot in here
New Jersey, you taunt us with your cheap prices!
Check out this gas price "temperature" map from Gas Buddy. As you can probably see from the screengrab above, prices are rather warm here.
According to AlbanyGasPrices.com, the average price for regular unleaded here in the Capital Region is $3.915. The national average is $3.791. It could be worse, though. Both New York City and Hartford are over the four dollar mark.
map: GasBuddy.com
Take a left on Western, head for heaven
Up, up and away.
We love this picture by Flickr user iessi (we think her actual name is Jessica). It's like Western Ave leads off into the sky.
Be sure to check the Albany photo set by Jessica -- we particularly liked this funny picture of Nipper.
photo: Flickr user iessi, used under a CC license
... said KGB about Drawing: What's something that brought you joy this year?