All Over Albany

Schenectady High "persistently dangerous" again, Ellis says people don't feel safe in Albany, state texting while driving ban signed, parking permits for Troy?, Paterson finds catharsis and a milkshake

Schenectady High School made the the state Department of Education's list of "persistently dangerous" schools for the second straight year. Superintendent Eric Ely says the district didn't ask to have the school removed from the list because "We're not happy with what we're seeing." Ely also Schenectady is reporting all of its incidents to the state -- he said other districts are not doing that. [NYSED] [TU] [Fox23]

Former state Supreme Court judge Thomas Spargo, whose chambers were in Albany, was convicted yesterday of trying to shake down attorneys with cases before him. The prosecution alleged that Spargo was soliciting the bribes so that he could pay for his defense in an ethics investigation. Spargo was booted from the bench in 2006. [TU] [Troy Record] [Fox23]

Saratoga Springs police say two people were arrested yesterday after it appears that one of them accidentally shot himself at the Adelphi Hotel in downtown Saratoga. The woman staying with him, who's from New Jersey, was charged with felony weapon possession because she doesn't have a permit for New York. The cops say they were tipped off when the man, who's been charged with reckless endangerment, showed up Saratoga Hospital and wouldn't say how he'd gotten the wound in his leg. [TU] [Saratogian] [Post-Star]

Albany mayoral candidate Corey Ellis said yesterday during a campaign appearance that there "far too many violent crimes in this city, and that too many people don't feel safe in their neighborhoods." Jerry Jennings' campaign has been touting statistics that indicate crime has been dropping in the city. [Ellis press release] [TU]

Jennings held a campaign fund raiser at Michael Bloomberg's home in Manhattan earlier this month. [TU]

David Paterson has signed the texting-while-driving bill -- the ban also includes web surfing, tweeting and other stuff like that. Violations will carry a $150 fine, but it's a "secondary offense" -- which means drivers can only be ticketed if they've been pulled over for something else. [TU] [CBS6]

Paterson reportedly "found catharsis" -- and a milkshake -- yesterday at the State Fair. [NYT]

Kirsten Gillibrand, Scott Murphy, Chuck Schumer and Andrew Cuomo all received campaign money from a Democratic fundraiser accused of loan fraud. The politicians say they're donating the money to charity. [AP/TU]

Jim Tedisco is talking about taking on Scott Murphy again for the 20th Congressional District next year. [Post-Star]

A Rensselaer man pleaded guilty yesterday to the stabbing death of an Albany last year on Washington Ave -- apparently over a dirty look. [TU]

The Albany County Sheriff's Department says it's busted eight people who were using Craigslist for prostitution. The department made the arrests at hotels in Guilderland and Colonie. Two of the people snagged in the sting are a husband and wife couple. [TU] [CapNews9] [Troy Record]

Shepard Park Beach in Lake George will be closed for the rest of the season after tests have continued to indicate high levels of bacteria associated with sewage. The beach was first closed in early July after a sewage pipe broke. The pipe has since been fixed and officials are now wondering if there's another source of waste leaking into the lake. Birds are also a possible source of the contamination. [CapNews9] [Saratogian] [TU] [Post-Star]

A Troy city councilman is talking about the possibility of residential parking permits for the areas near RPI. [TU]

People in Schuylerville are talking about dissolving the village. [Saratogian]

The Saratoga Shoe Depot has filed for bankruptcy. It's Chapter 11 -- that's re-organization, not liquidation. [Post-Star] [Saratogian]

A guy in Glens Falls (@bjmendelson) has almost 1 million followers on Twitter. [TU]