All Over Albany

Soldier buried in Colonie, scientist wins "genius" grant, observatory looking for place to set up its telescope, are Schenectady's street lights too dim?

A US soldier killed in Afghanistan was buried in Colonie yesterday. Mohsin Naqvi, a first lieutenant in the Army, was a Muslim born in Pakistan -- his family came to the US when he was 8-years-old. Naqvi's father said his son gave his life for the United States. A member of the Army honor detail called Naqvi "a real patriot." [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Sally Temple, a biologist who heads the New York Neural Stem Cell Institute on UAlbany's east campus, has been awarded one of this year's MacArthur "genius" grants. The prestigious award is $500,000 -- with no restrictions. [TU]

The price of road salt has gone up as much as 50 percent from last year. Local public works departments say that means they'll probably be spreading more sand than they'd otherwise like to. [TU]

It looks like the plan to knock down two buildings along Washington Ave in Albany so the Fort Orange Club can build a new parking is off. Maybe. [TU]

The Dudley Observatory in Schenectady is looking for a place to set up its telescope and be an actual observatory again. [Daily Gazette]

A Schenectady city councilman is worried that the city's streetlights are dimmer than those in Albany and Troy. [TU]

A proposed condo development on Lake Avenue in Saratoga will include penthouses listed for as much as $2.4 million. Each unit will also have its own private elevator. [Saratogian]

The seemingly-stalled project to build an apartment tower, office building and hotel by Quackenbush Square in downtown Albany has been listed for sale. The developer says they listed the project after recently receiving an unsolicited offer. [TU] [Biz Review]