All Over Albany

Espada's son resigning from Senate job, sheriff's deputy arrested, council members got ghost tickets, Novella says she's changed, Skidmore's rep up in smoke

Pedro Espada says his son will be resigning the $120k/year state Senate job that was created for him. The resignation comes after Andrew Cuomo's office said it was looking into whether the hiring violated state ethics laws. It also came out yesterday that Pedro the Younger apparently had not been showing up for his new job. Big Pedro said last night the resignation was "appropriate," though he continued to insist the hiring had not been nepotism. [TU] [NYT] [NY Post] [Daily Politics]

Also among the state Senate Democrats' recent hires: a former member of the governor's staff who was let go after the state Inspector General's office described him as "immature," "irresponsible" and "ill-suited." [TU]

A Saratoga County Sheriff's deputy was arrested Tuesday night after a woman accused him of forcing her into a sex act with him. The sheriff's department says the deputy was on duty in his uniform -- and the woman in his patrol car -- when the alleged act occurred (the Gazette says it was oral). The deputy and woman apparently already knew each other. [TU] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette] [Post-Star]

Colonie supervisor Paula Mahan says the town's $19.5 million deficit has almost been cut in half. The special one-time deficit reduction tax accounted for $5.5 million. Mike Hoblock, Mahan's Republican opponent for the supervisor position, questioned whether the town was really that far in the hole to start. [CBS6] [CapNews9] [TU]

Troy Police say it appears a man killed himself yesterday outside Samaritan Hospital by shooting himself in the head with a shotgun. Emergency vehicles had to be temporarily re-routed to the hospital's emergency department. Police say the man was 22 years old and from Maryland. [TU] [Troy Record] [CapNews9]

The man whose sister was kidnapped as part of a Tarantino-like series of incidents in Troy earlier this year pleaded guilty yesterday to shooting at the car that allegedly was carrying the woman during a high-speed chase. [Troy Record]

Six Albany Common Council members received no-fine tickets, according to the state comptroller's audit. [TU]

Antonia Novella says her community service at a health clinic in Albany's West Hill neighborhood has made her "a better, stronger individual." [TU]

The pool of state workers eligible for the $20k buyout continues to expand. [TU]

CDTA's interim executive director will be Carmen Basile. The current executive director announced he's resigning at the end of August. Basile's been with the transit org since 1981. [TU] [AOA] [CapNews9]

AngioDynamics, a medical device company based in Queensbury, says it's moving its offices to Latham next year. Among the reasons: easier access to the airport. [TU] [Post-Star]

Cars in Rensselaer County hit 20 owls last year, according to the DEC. [Troy Record]

Contractors are being trained to paint boards to look like windows in an effort to make the abandoned buildings along Henry Johnson in Albany look better. [CBS6]

It seems that Skidmore is having trouble shaking the "Smokemore" reputation. [Saratogian]