All Over Albany

Standoff ends in suicide, vote today on bus fare increase, Saratoga recreation center drama continues, a low-key bank robbery

US marshals say a man accused of multiple rapes in Pennsylvania killed himself in Cohoes yesterday after a standoff with police. The man, who had once run for Congress, jumped bail last month after he was accused of posing as a cop in order to take advantage of prostitutes. His had recently been featured on America's Most Wanted. Police say they aren't sure what brought the man to the Capital Region. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [Troy Record] [Troy Record]

The CDTA board is scheduled to vote on the proposed 50 cent per ride fare increase today. A coaltion of riders, advocates and politicians is protesting the increase, arguing that that increase would disproportionately hurt low-income people. The transportation org recently scaled back the proposed fare hike for commuter lines that run along the Northway. [CapNews9] [TU] [Daily Gazette]

More than 300 cars have been towed during Albany's snow emergency. Apparently even/odd can be tricky. [CBS6] [WNYT]

A Saratoga Springs group called Friends of the South Side Park has sued to stop construction of the city's new South Side Recreation Center. They say the city didn't properly follow zoning rules, though they seem most concerned that the proposed building might overwhelm the site. [TU] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette]

The chairman of the board for the New York State Theater Institute, which is in Troy, called the proposed plan to save money by merging the org with The Egg "shameful." The NYSTI board would be eliminated if the merger goes through. [Troy Record]

The criminal charges that stemmed from a dispute between two neighbors in Guilderland over a fallen tree have been thrown out. [TU]

Marv Cermak was in the Rotterdam Pioneer Bank last weekend when it was robbed. He says the robbery was so low-key -- only a note was presented -- that the robber got a courtesy goodbye from an unsuspecting bank employee as he exited the bank. [TU]