All Over Albany

Troy deploys gun shot detector, Albany targets blight, movies for gym class, poll worker says students weren't turned away, IMAX screen opens

The City of Troy demonstrated its new system for monitoring and locating gun shots. The "ShotSpotter" cost $250,000. So where's the coverage area? The location of the monitors is a secret. [TU] [Troy Record]

The Troy City Council voted unanimously to ask RPI to start paying a public safety fee to offset the costs of the emergency services coverage at the campus. Mayor Harry Tutunjian says he's already been talking with the school and is concerned the council is trying to negotiate the deal itself. [TU] [Troy Record]

The City of Albany says it's using mapping software and a multi-department effort to focus on cleaning up the 50 most blighted blocks in the city. The program is being coordinated by the city's police chief. [TU]

A woman climbed down a steep 75 foot embankment yesterday in Ravena to help the passengers of a pick up truck that had just slammed into the back of her car. The woman, a nurse, says "I like to help people." [CBS6] [WNYT]

A poll worker says students were not turned away from voting on the UAlbany campus, but rather were being instructed how they could vote instead of "just filling out a piece of paper." NYPIRG says some poll workers illegally refused to give out affidavit ballots to students not listed on the rolls. [TU]

A guard at the Schenectady County jail says it's a workplace with a "general atmosphere of racial and sexual discrimination." The county is investigating. [TU]

Remember the scheduling mix-up at Albany High School at this beginning of this school year? Apparently that led to students watching sports-themed movies during some of their gym classes. [TU]

A animal rights/doctors' group is criticizing Albany Med for using live pigs during its trauma training. AMC says it's treating the animals humanely. [TU]

The Town of Wilton has adopted a 2009 budget that doesn't include a property tax -- the 27th year in a row without one. [Saratogian]

The energy company looking to set up a wind farm in the Albany County hill towns has decided to not pursue the project. [TU]

The new IMAX screen at Crossgates opens today. [Daily Gazette]