All Over Albany

Soares wants to hunt for guns, New Yorkers say state is on wrong track, St. Clare's officially gone, last Hall of Fame game.

Albany County DA David Soares wants the landlords of vacant buildings to give law enforcement the OK to search their properties for stashed guns. Soares' plan was prompted by the claim that the stray bullet that killed Kathina Thomas came from a "community gun." The alleged shooter, a 15-year-old, was indicted Friday. He could get 15 years to life. [TU] [TU]

A New York Times poll reports that 60 percent of respondents think New York State is on the wrong track. Even so, people seemed to have a generally favorably view of David Paterson (if they have an opinion on him... a third didn't). And Barack Obama is heavily favored against John McCain. [NYT]

National Grid says it's finished its investigation into what caused the explosions that sent manhole covers shooting into the air in Troy. But the final report won't be ready until July. [TU]

St. Clare's Hospital has been officially merged into Ellis Hospital. Its new name: Ellis Hospital McClellan Campus. [Daily Gazette]

Based on the quadrupling of calls to the state smokers' quit line, it seems that New York's now highest-in-the-nation cigarette taxes are prompting people to think about quitting. [AP]

It appears that more people are looking to carpool in the Capital Region. CDTA says it's working on a new web site that will make it easier to find people headed your way. [Saratogian]

Today is the last Hall of Fame game involving major leaguers in Cooperstown. MLB says the travel involved in getting two teams to the middle of upstate New York during the season is too much trouble. [TU]