All Over Albany

Weird and difficult budget process could be ahead, jury selection in Raucci trial, RPI knocking down presidents house, man robs supermarket with a note

Pundits say David Paterson's now-lame duck status could be the beginning of a very weird and difficult state budget process. That has some people -- notably Sheldon Silver -- calling for lieutenant governor Richard Ravitch to handle the budget negotiations. Meanwhile, the head of the state Democratic Party called Andrew Cuomo "all but the presumptive nominee" for governor. [AP/Post-Star] [NYDN] [TU]

John Sweeney pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DWI Friday afternoon. As part of the deal, he's up for 30 days in jail -- and he'll have to wear an alcohol monitor on his ankle after he's released. He'll also have to do 300 hours of community service. [Daily Gazette $] [Saratogian] [TU] [WNYT]

Jury selection is scheduled to start today in the trial of Steven Raucci. The pool of potential jurors for Schenectady County Court has been doubled to 675 this week. Raucci faces 26 criminal charges, including arson and terrorism. [TU] [Daily Gazette $] [Daily Gazette $] [CBS6]

Schenectady police officer Kyle Hunter pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal contempt -- and part of the plea deal, he's resigning from the police force. [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

RPI says it willdemolish its existing presidents house so it can build a new one. The school's original plan to build a new house next to the existing residence was bounced by the Troy zoning board of appeals because the parcel it would sit on isn't zoned to include structures taller than 25 feet. [TU] [Troy Record]

The Troy school district says it expects to save $2.8 million from the early retirement of 33 teachers. [Troy Record] [TU]

The state comptroller's office says the Saratoga Springs DPW isn't doing a good job keeping track of cash that comes in from the sale of trash bags. The head of the DPW says the department is now doing "pretty much" of what was recommended. [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

Colonie police say man took $3000 from the Latham Farms Hannaford in a robbery similar to a bank job -- he used a note. [Fox23] [TU]

An incident in Troy Friday afternoon eventually included the Emergency Response Team, tear gas, a jump from three stories and a chase through the city. [Troy Record]

Heavy snow collapsed two barns in Knox and Berne last week, killing the animals inside. [CBS6]

The owner of Badass Burritos in Troy is opening a new restaurant in the former Golden Fox space on Broadway. [Troy Record]