All Over Albany

Council report on ghost tickets released, CDTA bus catches fire, RPI frat buying church, torched car rolls down street, blame the trough

The Albany Common Council released the report about its ghost ticket investigation -- it concludes the police union was out of line when it started the bullseye ticket system and also criticizes the city treasurer's office. [TU] [Fox23]

Police are investigating a car explosion that killed a man in Schenectady over the weekend. The man's family says the car blew up a few hours after the man had reported a drug deal to police. [TU] [CBS6]

Schenectady police have identified the man shot and killed by a police officer on Saturday after he allegedly threatened people with a knife. The SPD says it's reviewing the shooting and the Schenectady County DA says the case will eventually be presented to a grand jury. The incident was apparently captured on a patrol car's video camera. [Fox23] [TU] [Daily Gazette $]

The Hudson River dredging project has been paused again because of fast-moving currents and a spike in PCB levels over the EPA's limit. [Troy Record]

Albany mayoral candidate Valerie Faust has been bounced from the Democratic primary ballot for not having enough valid signatures. Supporters of Corey Ellis challenged the signatures. Faust called the challenge "low-down dirty" and vowed to contest the ruling in court. [Fox23] [CapNews9] [TU]

A CDTA bus caught fire on I-90 yesterday evening between Everett Road and Corporate Woods -- the bus was not carrying passengers. (Pictures and video) [CapNews9] [WNYT]

An RPI fraternity is in the process of buying the former St. Francis de Sales Catholic church in Troy. The deal is contingent on a the frat getting a zoning variance for the building. [Troy Record] [TU]

Saratoga Springs firefighters delivered a baby yesterday morning in the driveway of the Lake Ave firehouse. [Saratogian] [Fox23]

Albany police say it appears someone torched a car and rolled it in neutral -- empty -- down Colonie Street. The car flipped over and stopped on Broadway. [CBS6] [TU] [Fox23]

The Schenectady Police Department's largest portion of overtime last year was spent on filling officer absences. [Fox23]

Capital Region law enforcement agencies are getting state money aimed at helping police better track and analyze crime info. [TU]

Property taxes from the GlobalFoundries chip fab could mean millions of dollars in new funding for the Ballston Spa and Stillwater school districts. [TU]

The site of the Price Chopper in downtown Saratoga will be converted to a six-story mixed use building with a new supermarket on the first floor. [Post-Star]

Starting next April, you'll have to buy a new license plate when you (re)register your car. [CapNews9]

The LaSalle Institute and CBA are discussing a possible merger. [TU]

This summer's weather can be blamed on something called a trough. (This happened last year, too.) [Post-Star]

First-week attendance at The Track was up almost 14 percent over last year. [Saratogian]

Marylou Whitney buys a lot of hot dogs. [Post-Star]