All Over Albany

Tedisco and Murphy debate, Raucci charged with terrorism, Schenectady school district struggles with teen suicides, chip fab company gets new name, UAlbany student sues Facebook

Jim Tedisco and Scott Murphy found a lot to agree about during their debate yesterday in Saratoga Springs. One point of departure: the federal stimulus bill, which Murphy said he supports and Tedisco said had enough pork to "create trichinosis for most of us in this room." They also disagreed on union "card check" -- Murphy supports it, Tedisco doesn't. The debate drew an overflow crowd of more than 250 people to the Saratoga Springs Public Library. [Daily Gazette] [Post-Star] [Saratogian] [TU]

Police say a woman walking her dogs in Spa State Park yesterday morning found a partially frozen body (it seems her dog was the first to find it in the tree line). There are conflicting reports on whether authorities consider the situation suspicious -- "unusual" seems to be the word being used. The man was found fully clothed and dressed for winter. Witnesses says the body was covered in vomit. An autopsy is scheduled for today. [Saratogian] [Fox 23] [Post-Star] [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Steven Raucci, the Schenectady school district employee accused of arson, was charged with terrorism yesterday -- the state's highest felony. Officials say they've been filing charges against Raucci sequentially so they can keep him in jail. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

The state's inspector general has ordered an investigation of the State Insurance Fund because of accusations of mismanagement by a whistleblower. The whistleblower came forward after the story of the guy making $94k/year to do nothing came to light in the TU. Noted: John Sweeney's first wife, Elizabeth, works at the Insurance Fund as a secretary and makes $94,000 a year. [TU] [SeeThroughNY]

Schenectady school officials have started an effort to talk publicly about suicide and depression in the district's teens. Three students have killed themselves -- and three others have tried -- since November. A district letter sent out to parents says the first step in addressing the problem is "creating awareness" among parents, teachers and friends. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [SCD]

A citywide re-assessment in Schenectady has concluded that property values are up, on aggregate, $1 billion. That means the tax rate could be cut almost in half. More than half of homeowners are expected to see a decrease in 2010. Note: Grievance day is Monday. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

The preliminary budget for the Albany School District includes a 15 percent tax increase -- and job cuts. Layoffs are also on the table for Troy's school district, though the Board of Ed president says he doesn't see a big tax hike coming because "It's kind of hard to raise taxes on people that are losing their jobs and have their homes in foreclosure to begin with." [TU] [Troy Record]

The new name for the newly-formed company that will own the Luther Forest chip fab: GlobalFoundries. [TU]

More than 9,000 people have applied to take the "Professional Careers Test" for the state civil service system on Saturday. The test was last given four years ago. [TU]

The two candidates running for mayor of the Village of Victory in Saratoga are both named Sullivan. They're not related. And one wants to keep the village and the other wants to dissolve it. [TU]

A water line in North Greenbush, which is supposed to be underground, apparently is running above ground across a creek. Officials say the contractor hired to install the pipe in December did bury the line six feet underground -- but erosion from melting snow runoff has exposed the pipe. [Troy Record]

A UAlbany student from Long Island is suing former high school classmates and Facebook for $3 million over a Facebook group she says was intended harass her. [Newsday]