Albany County closer to requiring menu calorie counts, state facing huge infrastructure costs, call for community policing, new state tax credit for home buyers, Dubai ruler sheiks up yearling sale

The Albany County legislature has passed a law requiring that chain restaurants post calorie counts on menus. If county exec Mike Breslin signs the bill, it would take effect next February. New York City already has such a law. [TU] [CapNews9] [CBS6]

The Albany County legislature also passed a bill that bans Bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles and sippy cups. [Troy Record]

The state comptroller says New York is facing $250 billion in infrastructure repair costs over the next two decades -- and where all the money will come from is unclear (controller's office report). [CBS6]

State Senate majority Democrats have created a $120k/year job for Pedro Espada's son. [NY Mag]

Scott Murphy has been holding "Congress on Your Corner" meetings with constituents around his district to talk about health care reform -- he was in Saratoga and Rensselaer counties yesterday. Murphy says he's in favor of a health insurance mandate. [CapNews9] [Post-Star]

Hoping to make use of David Paterson's low poll numbers, national Republicans have been referring to Kirsten Gillibrand as "Paterson-appointee Kirsten Gillibrand." [NYT]

The president of the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association is calling for more community policing in the Albany neighborhood after this past weekend's shooting death -- the second in the neighborhood in the last year. [Fox23]

Rensselaer County says heavy rain on July 29 caused $1.1 million in damage to county roads. It's asking the state to apply for federal stimulus money to help make the repairs. [Troy Record] [TU]

A suspended Schenectady cop has been indicted on charges related to a dispute with his ex-wife. The cop -- who once lost his service gun -- is on the list of cops the city is trying to fire. [CapNews9] [WNYT] [TU]

The owners of the new bar planned for River Street in Troy, whose liquor license application was bounced because of proximity to the Salvation Army, say they're appealing the ruling. [CapNews9]

Albany, Troy, Rensselaer and Cohoes all have state waivers that allow their sewer systems to overflow into the Hudson during heavy rain. [TU]

New York State is offering a new tax credit for first-time home buyers. [TU]

Albany Molecular Research says it's cutting 25 jobs in the Capital Region. AMRI has been making noises about the possibility of re-locating outside New York State because of high costs. [TU] [CBS6]

Universal Preservation Hall has gotten a state grant worth almost $225k, bringing it within $1 million of its renovation campaign goal. [Saratogian]

As it happens, the State Police frown upon people using actual marijuana plants as props during protests at the state Capitol. [TU]

Three horses sold for more than $1 million during the first night of the Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale. Among the buyers on hand: Sheikh Mohammend bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who -- despite being the ruler of Dubai and maybe the horse racing world's most powerful person -- rocked a casual look at last night's sale. One more thing: Saratoga Springs gets to charge sales tax on the horses sold at this sale. [TU] [Wikipedia] [Saratogian] [Post-Star]

Comments

Calorie counts on menus & no BPA in baby cups? It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood! *zips up sweater* Here comes speedy Mr. McFeely with a special delivery! I really hope it's my custom made Pine Hills neighborhood citizen police badge. Don't forget everybody, we need to use cooperation later in order to help save his post office!

The Sheikh? Cool.

Republicans @ Kirsten Gillibrand? Lame.

Regarding the shooting...why do I get the feeling it's drug related? And guess what? Rumore has it the Bailey one was too! Stop dealing and doing drugs with scary people in my neighborhood (or anywhere) and you won't get killed.

The student ghetto in Pine Hills has been creeping into the "neighborhood" parts more and more in the last ten years. The older property owners are leaving and selling to new landlords who don't care about anything but overcharging students in run down apartments.

I can't believe this woman had the balls to carry a pot plant into the Capital. That's awesome.

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