All Over Albany

Paterson threatens state Senate, landfill expansion needs another permit, Troy dog park controversy, another pizza person mugged, gourmet market coming to Latham

The state Senate was in session for all of five minutes yesterday -- and the Republicans weren't even there. [Daily Politics]

David Paterson has called another "extraordinary" session for today. If senators don't show, he says he'll move to withhold their pay. He's also threatening to send the State Police after missing senators. A Brooklyn senator responded to Paterson's threats by calling him a "coward" who "will not be returning as governor." Leaders of both caucuses say their memberships will be at the Capitol today. [TU] [Daily Politics] [NYT] [Buffalo News]

A business run by Pedro Espada, one of the senators who set this whole circus in motion, owes almost $350k in back taxes. In 2007, Espada made almost $460k at the org, which gets funding from the state. [TU]

Even if the DEC approves the Albany landfill expansion, the project will still have to get the OK from the Army Corps of Engineers (though it won't stop the landfill from being piled higher). [TU]

The former state Department of Taxation and Finance employee accused of stealing taxpayers' personal info to open credit cards has pleaded guilty. The Troy man will have to pay $200k in restitution and could serve as many as four years in prison. [TU] [Troy Record]

There was no mechanical failure on the small private plane that crashed into the Mohawk a few weeks back, according to a preliminary report from the NTSB. Witnesses say it looks the plane just didn't pick up enough speed and ran out of runway. The crash killed three people. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

A group of Schenectady parents say African-American students at Schenectady High School are being disproportionately arrested for misconduct while at school. [Daily Gazette]

Troy mayor Harry Tutunjian says the recently-opened dog park in Troy's Beman Park could be closed because the enclosure was constructed without authorization; it also lacks official rules, which could open up the city to liability risks. Meanwhile, residents near Emma Willard are pushing for the creation of their own dog park. [Troy Record] [Troy Record]

Live Nation, the company that books the pop and rock acts at SPAC, is pushing for a liquor license that would allow concert-goers to take alcoholic beverages to their seats. Alcoholic drinks are currently restricted to the venue's beer garden. [TU] [Post-Star]

US Marshals have been picking up suspects here as part of a month-long sweep in the Capital Region. [Troy Record]

Another pizza delivery person was mugged in Albany -- this time in an uptown neighborhood near Buckingham Pond (map). [CapNews9]

CDTA is changing its route numbering system in an effort to make it easier to understand. [TU]

How many copiers does the Town of North Greenbush need? [Troy Record]

Gourmet grocery store chain Fresh Market has gotten the go-ahead to open a location in Latham (map). [BizReview]

Jerri Nielsen, the doctor who treated herself for breast cancer while stationed at the South Pole, has died from cancer. In 1999, an Air National Guard crew from the Stratton base in Glenville made a daring landing in Antarctica to retrieve Nielsen so she could get further treatment. [TU] [Daily Gazette]