All Over Albany

Alleged kidnap survivor testifies, Paterson calls for NYSTI head to be fired, new details in fatal police car crash, deer causes trouble in Troy

The woman prosecutors say was kidnapped in Saratoga Springs last year testified yesterday at the trial of her alleged attacker, Victor Hernandez-Perez. She said the man who abducted her hit her in the head, put her in a van and told her to strip at gun point. She said he told her he was going to rape and kill her and "He asked me if I had ever seen a crazy person. I said no. He said I was going to see one tonight." The woman said she escaped by jumping from the moving vehicle. Said the woman in an interview with WTEN yesterday: "I'm not even close to over it. I just kind of deal with it everyday." [Daily Gazette $] [Saratogian] [TU] [Post-Star] [WNYT] [WTEN]

David Paterson has written a letter urging the NYSTI board to fire producing director Patricia Snyder. A report out last week from the state Inspector General accused Snyder of nepotism and improper spending. [TU CapCon] [AOA]

The FBI and IRS raided the offices and homes of people connected to Albany investment firm McGinn, Smith and Co. last week. An SEC complaint filed last week accused McGinn, Smith of investment fraud. [TU] [SEC]

The EPA has announced that will cover the extra costs associated with Halfmoon and Waterford using the Troy drinking water system because of the Hudson River PCB dredging project. The agency had been previously only been paying when PCB levels spiked. The EPA's announcement could collectively save the two towns as much as $800k/year. As part of yesterday's announcement, the agency also reported that some sensors used to monitor PCB levels had been "covered with mud and vegetation" -- and that may have affected recent readings. [EPA] [Saratogian] [TU] [Post-Star]

There is still no state budget. But there is squabbling. [TU] [AP/Post-Star]

Police say a man was killed and a sheriff's deputy shot this morning after a chase in Lake George. [Post-Star]

A State Police report reconstructing the fatal police car crash at the intersection of Madison and Quail last summer indicates that the car's siren could be heard on a recording of a call from the scene. [TU]

An attorney representing the City of Albany says the city is "concerned" about the credibility of three new workers' compensation claims submitted by a former police detective and current umbrella union head. [TU]

The Coeymans town supervisor says he's not stepping down. (He was recently arrested for allegedly torching his own house.) [Fox23]

Albany police say a drive ran a red light yesterday and hit a school bus. [TU]

Albany police say a UAlbany student was jumped and robbed at gunpoint by a group of assailants outside a house party on Quail Street Saturday morning. [Fox23] [YNN]

The Rensselaer County Sheriff's office says it's cracking down on traffic violations following a recent streak of fatal traffic accidents. [Fox23]

The City of Schenectady has approved a new contract with its police officers. [TU]

There are reports of motorized vehicles frequently showing up on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike trail. [Daily Gazette $]

Police say two people stole $1k of teeth whitening strips from the Price Chopper in Queensbury. [Fox23]

A deer knocked out a window yesterday in the Troy's Washington Park neighborhood. [Troy Record]

The Shen high school students who were stuck in France because of the Icelandic volcano ash made it back home last night. [Daily Gazette $]

After being laid off from an architecture firm, a local woman has started a business making and selling "cake truffles." [WNYT]