School district employee accused of arson and intimidation, first homicide of 2009 in Albany, crowds gets testy at "super" sale, looking for council candidates on Craigslist

The Schenectady County DA says investigators think a Schenectady school district employee engaged in "systematic acts of intimidation" -- including arson -- against people who had "crossed" him. The man has been charged with arson for blowing the door off a Rotterdam home in 2001. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

A body was found in an abandoned building on Broadway in Albany over the weekend. The APD says it's treating the case as the city's first homicide of 2009. [TU] [Fox23]

The president of the Schenectady police union only worked for the city 13 days last year -- yet the city paid him $129,908. Mayor Brian Stratton says the arrangement is "crazy." [TU]

A stun gun, tucked in a stroller, made it through the security checkpoint at ALB a week ago. A gate worker found the stun gun as he was putting the stroller into the baggage hold. [TU]

David Paterson and his entourage charged the state more than $23,000 for their trip to the inaugural. [TU]

The TU reports that many of the questionable things going on with the Port of Albany aren't all that far removed from Jerry Jennings. [TU]

The man accused of stealing a safe containing millions in bonds, $100,000 in cash and other valuables from the Port of Albany was found not guilty by an Albany County Court jury. [TU]

A Bethlehem police lieutenant says heroin use is on the rise in the suburb. [TU]

Brian Stratton says the City of Schenectady will try to get federal stimulus money to knock down blighted buildings and replace them with affordable "green" homes. [Daily Gazette]

The "Super Liquidation Sale" at the Crosstown Plaza in Rotterdam drew big crowds this weekend. People apparently got a little surly when doors didn't open on time -- and there was a fist fight, possibly over a parking spot. [Daily Gazette]

An old train tunnel in downtown Troy will be filled as part of the reconstruction of the Congress-Ferry Street project. [Troy Record]

Troy Republican are beating the bushes for potential city council candidates by posting on Craigslist. [TU]

The director of Clifton Park's summer recreation programs says an unusually large number of adults are applying for seasonal jobs this year. The program usually hires teens and college students. [Daily Gazette]

The parent company of the Saratogian and the Troy Record has filed for bankruptcy. [AP/TU]

Two concert promoters have bought Northern Lights. The music club has been in bankruptcy for the past year. [TU]

Saratoga Academy, a private independent elementary school in Clifton Park, says it plans to double its enrollment next school year. [Saratogian]

The family that owns the Blythwood Tavern in Schenectady says it will try to keep the bar open. The man who ran the tavern, which has been been a gay bar for 60 years, died earlier this month. [Daily Gazette]

Comments

Those are some of the worst kickbacks EVER in the story about the port! 100 Cobblestones? An 18-year-old Toyota truck? Really? I think we can change this from a recession to a depression. Corruption pays better in the third-world!

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