All Over Albany

Special election vote totals shifting, Morris says Albany treasurer lied, arrest in Barnes assault, Shen coach suspended after old accusations come to light, state budget leading to Saratoga paid parking?

The vote totals for the 20th Congressional District special election keep shifting as voting machines and emergency ballots are "re-canvassed." What appears to be the latest tally has Jim Tedisco now ahead of Scott Murphy by 12 votes. The election will ultimately be decided by the count of the absentee ballots -- which won't start until Monday at the earliest. Both campaigns continue to express confidence that they'll come out ahead. [Troy Record] [PolitickerNY] [TU]

The Saratogian reports that Jim Tedisco will be stepping down as state Assembly minority leader on Monday so he "can focus on this congressional district." The TU reports that Tedisco is facing a no-confidence vote on Monday because members of his caucus are annoyed that he's spent so much time on his Congressional campaign during the state budget process. [Saratogian] [TU]

The state Senate has continued its debate of the budget bills, though a vote could be coming soon. The Senate voted to allow Democratic Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, who's been in and out of the hospital with pneumonia, to vote "yes" on all the budget bills ahead of time. The majority Dems didn't have enough votes to pass the bills without Hassell-Thompson. [TU]

Albany Common Council president Shawn Morris says she thinks city treasurer Betty Barnette "flat-out lied" when Barnette testified earlier this week that her office doesn't "fix" parking tickets. The Common Council is now seeking copies of every parking ticket dismissed in 2008. [TU]

Guilderland police have arrested a mixed-martial arts fighter for the assault of the TU's Steve Barnes and a friend last year in the parking lot outside Creo. According to the TU, the police are investigating "connections" between the fighter and an unnamed Albany restaurant that Barnes wrote about. [TU]

A Shen cross country/track coach has been suspended after school officials were informed that the coach lost his teaching certification following an alleged incident of sexual abuse in New York City in 1990. An attorney for the coach says the allegations are "just not true." School district superintendent Oliver Robinson says the news was a shock and he says he'll be asking the school board to fire the coach. [Daily Gazette] [NYT] [TU] [Fox23] [Saratogian]

The state's cut of Saratoga Springs's VLT funding may set the dominos falling for paid parking downtown. [Post-Star]

The prosecution has rested in the trial of the Jovan Underdue, who's charged with murdering three people in a Delaware Ave apartment early last year. Ballistics experts testified yesterday that a gun found under a mattress at Underdue's friend's house matched the bullets used in the crime. [Fox23]

The proposed Schenectady City School District budget includes 34 teacher job cuts, as well as the elimination of 42 other jobs. [Daily Gazette]

The state law that has held up the construction of Saratoga Springs' South Side Recreation Center project may also snag the planned expansion of the City Center. [Daily Gazette]

Schenectady is looking for state funds to help it redevelop the old Alco site on Erie Boulevard. The project could potentially open up 1.5 miles of waterfront. [Daily Gazette]

Troy is also looking for state money to help it demolish and redevelop the old Proctors Theather and Chasan Building. Preservation advocates are against the plan, but a city councilman says there isn't enough money to restore the theater. [TU] [Troy Record]

Workers' comp fraud tip: it's hard to look like you have an injured back when you go skydiving. [TU]