All Over Albany

Ravitch says budget gap too big for one year, man accused of stabbing puppy, Pataki endorses Lazio, it's a belt buckle - it's a gun -- it's both

While presenting his budget process reform plan yesterday, Richard Ravitch said the state's budget gap is too big to tackle in one year. The lieutenant governor's plan includes up to $6 billion in borrowing over the next three years. Depending on who you read, the legislators either "reacted with cautious interest" or "were hesitant to embrace" the proposed reforms. [Daily Politics] [NYDN] [TU] [NYT] [AP/Troy Record]

"Sources" tell the NYDN that Sherr-una Booker, the woman who sought an order of protection against Paterson aide David Johnson, told investigators that she didn't feel threatened when David Paterson called her just before the hearing for the order. Booker didn't show for the hearing. [NYDN]

One place where David Paterson appears to still have strong support: his old street in Guilderland. [TU]

Witness testimony continues to portray Steven Raucci as just about the last boss for whom you'd want to work. Among the allegations: Raucci liked to be referred to as "God." [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

A Schenectady man has been accused of fatally stabbing a puppy, allegedly as retaliation against his girlfriend. The man has been charged with a felony under Buster's Law. [Daily Gazette $] [TU] [Fox23]

George Pataki has endorsed Rick Lazio's run for governor. [TU]

Many Republicans are apparently encouraging Dan Senor to enter the race against Kirsten Gillibrand. Word of a potential Senor run has been circulating for a few weeks. Senor is a former Bush administration official, who served as the spokesman for Paul Bremer in Iraq. (He's also Mr. Campbell Brown.) [NYT] [TPM] [Wikipedia] [NYT]

Schenectady schools superintendent Eric Ely is reportedly now a finalist for three other jobs in different cities. [Daily Gazette $]

It turns out the Fort Orange Club's plan to demolish two buildings along Washington Ave would result in... three new parking spaces. [TU]

The Albany Fire Department fished a fisherman out of the Normanskill yesterday. The man had gotten stuck while wading in the middle of the creek. He held onto his pole, though. [CapNews9] [Fox23] [TU]

The union that represents employees at the Latham Holiday Inn Express says the owner fired all the workers after settling a case with the NLRB. The hotel's owner says a new company took over management of the hotel and hired some of the workers back. [TU] [WNYT]

Albany police say man robbed the Westgate Price Chopper yesterday with a note. They think he might be the same person who robbed two Hannafords in Colonie last week. [CapNews9] [WTEN]

Ernie Paragallo, the horse owner accused of animal neglect at his farm near Catskill, was convicted yesterday 33 counts of animal cruelty. [Saratogian]

The Saratoga County sheriff's department says it's arrested a man for the robbery of a Schuylerville bank this week. The man allegedly bought a flat screen TV with the $5k he made off with. The man was released from prison in December following on a conviction for... bank robbery. [Post-Star] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette $]

Albany County DA David Soares met with the Albany police chief search committee yesterday. [CapNews9]

Three nurses stopped to help a man pulled over on the side of Route 9W last week -- and probably saved his life. [WNYT]

State police say a man was arrested on the Northway near Queensbury yesterday after he was allegedly found to be wearing a belt buckle that was also a working gun. [Post-Star]