All Over Albany

Luther Forest chip fab a go, Conners and Soares squabble over audit, parking prices going up at airport, Sam the Bugler returned home

AMD says it is going ahead with the chip fab plant at Luther Forest. The chip company is spinning off a new company focused on manufacturing (with $6 billion from Abu Dhabi), and that company (called Foundry) will actually be building and operating the plant. The Luther Forest chip fab is not a completely done deal, though. AMD says a few things still need to happen for it to be official, including having New York State transfer its $1.2 billion in incentives to the new company. It looks like that will happen -- there's a press conference with David Paterson and the AMD people this afternoon. [NYT] [WSJ] [TU]

An audit released yesterday by Albany County comptroller Mike Conners concludes that about $6,000 is missing from a safe in DA David Soares' office and criticized the DA's office for spending seized money on things like parking and community anti-crime initiatives. (Though there appears to be a shifting standard for what's considered an allowed use of seized money.) Soares says the audit is politically motivated (he's up for re-election next month). Conners says he hoped to conclude the audit earlier this year, but received "little help" from Soares. [TU] [TU] [Troy Record]

The state legislators who represent Schenectady told the city council last night that it shouldn't look for more state aid this year because there just isn't any money. But getting rid of unfunded mandates might be an option. One idea: get the state to allow Schenectady to open a night court so it doesn't have to build more court space. [Daily Gazette]

The prices for parking in the garage and the long term lot at ALB are going up between 9 and 16 percent. The rates for the short term and economy lots are staying the same. [TU]

An energy company is scouting locations for possible wind farms in Albany County. Rensselaerville and New Scotland seem to be of most interest right now. [Daily Gazette]

A chaperone policy in the Brittonkill Central School District (Brunswick) is catching criticism from parents. The policy requires parents to be fingerprinted and background checked to chaperone field trips. Said the district's incoming superintendent to the Record: "We're not in a position to just trust everyone." [Troy Record]

The stolen painting of Sam the Bugler has been returned to its Saratoga gallery. The thieves had apparently been "partying too much" before ripping off the painting. It was returned to Sam Grossman himself (the bugler) near Belmont, and he returned it to the gallery owner. [Saratogian]