All Over Albany

Teen accused in Bailey shooting pleads guilty, Walmart heirs backing local charter schools, rash of car break-ins in Colonie

King Modest, one of the teens accused of being involved with the killing of UAlbany student Richard Bailey in 2008, has agreed to a plea deal that involves him testifying against the other two accused teens. If convicted on the original charges, Modest faced 25 years to life -- he's now expected to get 10 years in prison. Statements the three teens allegedly made to Albany police indicated that Modest was a lookout during the robbery-turned-shooting. The attorney for the teen accused of pulling the trigger tried yesterday to cast doubt on Modest's version of events. [CapNews9] [Troy Record] [TU] [Fox23]

Albany police say the shooting of two men in an apartment near the St. Rose campus this week appears to have been a targeted robbery attempt. The APD says it's searching for five suspects allegedly involved in the crime. [APD] [TU]

The state Senate committee investigating Hiram Monserrate has recommended "expulsion or in the alternative, censure with revocation of privileges" for the Queens senator. Monserrate was convicted of misdemeanor assault against his girlfriend last fall. A state Senate vote on whether to expel him is expected to come in the next few weeks. Neil Breslin and Roy McDonald are both expected to vote for expulsion -- Hugh Farley says he's undecided. A political scientist says Monserrate's expulsion could throw the chamber into "chaos and deadlock." [Daily Politics] [NYT] [CapCon] [TU]

Delmar resident Scott Ritter, the former UN weapons inspector and outspoken Iraq war critic, has been accused of being caught in a online sex sting. Police in Pennsylvania allege that he exposed himself via webcam to a undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old girl. Ritter faced similar charges in 2001 from a sting here in the Capital Region -- those charges were dropped. Ritter did not comment to reporters who knocked on his door yesterday. [AP/Saratogian] [CapNews9] [TU] [WNYT]

David Paterson says state revenues have improved enough that he will no release the $750 million in delayed aid to local governments and schools. [TU] [Saratogian]

The Schenectady man accused of killing his wife with an axe in 2008 has pleaded guilty. [TU]

The biggest private backer of the Brighter Choice Foundation, the org that sponsors many of the charter schools in Albany, is the Walton Family Foundation -- the Walmart heirs. [TU]

Scott Murphy says he's partly responsible for the 72-hour waiting period that Congressional leaders say they'll grant so people can read the health care reform bill before there's a vote on it. [Post-Star]

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert spoke at Union College last night -- and, as expected, there were protests. [Fox23] [TU]

Schenectady police have ticketed the driver who they say was involved in the State Street car-on-pedestrian accident that killed an elderly woman. The woman's son has called for better signage and lighting at the crosswalk where his mother was hit. [Fox23] [WTEN]

Colonie police say there's been a rash of car break-ins in and near Loudonville during the last week. The cars that have been hit have been in parking lots. [Troy Record] [CapNews9]

FedEx is finalizing a deal to turn the former Albany International headquarters in East Greenbush into a new distribution center. [TU]

Cohoes is getting $5.5 million in federal money to rehab a bunch of historic row houses -- among them the former mill worker housing near Harmony Mills. [TU] [Troy Record]