All Over Albany

Tuffey going on paid leave, warnings about ambulance coverage, triple murderer sentenced, the "lucky" Stewart's in Clifton Park

Albany police chief James Tuffey announced yesterday that he's going on paid vacation (for an undetermined amount of time) while his certification as a police officer is investigated. Tuffey says he doesn't believe his status as a sworn police officer has expired and he vowed to return. Tuffey attributed the "leak" to the TU that set off this story to members of the police department who don't like that he's "holding people accountable." Mayor Jerry Jennings said Tuffey didn't have to take the leave and called Tuffey "a good administrative leader." Common Council president Shawn Morris said yesterday that if she's elected mayor in November, she will not keep Tuffey as chief. Council member Corey Ellis -- who's also running for mayor -- said allowing Tuffey to go on vacation "sends a bad message to the city of Albany." [Daily Gazette] [Troy Record] [TU] [WNYT] [CBS6] [Fox23]

An April memo from an Albany Fire Department lieutenant warned that Mohawk Ambulance's coverage of the city was spread too thin. Mohawk's service has been under scrutiny after it took 25 minutes for an ambulance to arrive at the scene of the fatal crash between a car and a kid on a bike. [TU]

An Albany County bill that would require ammunition shops to record who buys what ammo drew about 200 protesters at last night's county legislature meeting. Among the protesters: "one farmer who isn't gonna take crap." The bill's sponsor, Phil Steck, argued that people didn't understand that the measure would enforce already-existing law. [TU] [Fox23] [WNYT]

People waiting for hours yesterday in Schenectady to "grieve" their property tax assessments complained of a badly-designed system that lacks transparency -- one person compare it to "a war of attrition." Some people reportedly were waiting six hours to have their grievance heard. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Jovan Underdue, the man convicted of the triple murder in Albany last year, was sentenced to life in prison without parole yesterday. Said Albany County judge Stephen Herrick to Underdue: "Your crimes here are unspeakable." [AP/Daily Gazette] [TU]

David Paterson proposed a new state ethics panel that would oversee both the executive and legislative branches. The chances of the idea becoming law don't seem good, though. [TU] [Daily Politics]

Apparently many people in the state Democratic Party expect NY AG Andrew Cuomo to run for governor next year -- and, as a result, people are starting to line up for Cuomo's current job. [NYT]

The Troy School Board voted to accept a contingency schools budget yesterday rather than put a reformulated budget up for another public vote. The originally proposed district budget lost at the polls by 46 votes. [Troy Record] [TU]

An Albany school board member says taxpayers will probably see "a funding request" (the TU's phrase) in order to pay for renovations at Albany High School. [TU]

The number of bankruptcies filed in federal court in Albany in April was up 13 percent over the same period a year ago. [Post-Star]

Scott Murphy was in Clifton Park yesterday for an information session aimed at helping small business obtain credit. Apparently someone forgot to tell the small businesses. [Daily Gazette] [Saratogian]

An eco-friendly home and garden store has opened in Saratoga Springs. [Post-Star]

An Albany real estate agent, in Las Vegas last week for a conference, helped save a woman who had a heart attack inside Caesar's Palace. [Biz Review]

A Stewart's in Clifton Park has now had two $1 million scratch-off winners this year. [Daily Gazette]