All Over Albany

Is state shutdown ahead?, Flabby Tabby adopted, cab ride vouchers for Alive at Five, David Paterson is not a first-time caller

State Senator Ruben Diaz, a Democrat, says he's planning to vote "no" on the next budget extender, which could send the measure to defeat -- and, as a result, shut down the state government. Pedro Espada has also indicated he might vote "no." John Sampson, the head of the Senate Democratic conference, downplayed the shutdown threat. (If Diaz and Espada follow through, a few Republicans would have to vote "yes" to pass the extender. So far, state Senate Republicans have all voted "no.") Without a budget extension, state agencies wouldn't be funded and state employees would be working unpaid. [AP/TU] [State of Politics] [Buffalo News] [NY Post]

The Warren County sheriff says there are indications the boat involved in the fatal capsizing of a Peter Snyder's kayak on Lake George struck the kayak. The driver of the boat has been charged with reckless operation. The sheriff says Snyder and his wife, who was in another kayak, put up their paddles in an attempt to signal their presence -- but the boat driver didn't see them. Snyder had retired as the head of residence life at RPI in 2007. [Post-Star] [WNYT] [TU] [YNN] [Troy Record]

A Troy middle school teacher has been charged with having child porn on his work laptop. The district says the teacher was reassigned from classroom duty after the material was allegedly found last year. [WTEN] [TU]

The Albany school district says it "failed" by taking more than three weeks to notify the mother of a six-year-old North Albany Academy student that a classmate allegedly stuck his/her hands down her daughter's pants. [YNN]

First Lt. Joseph Theinert, the 2008 UAlbany grad who died last week in Afghanistan, is being credited with saving the lives of soldiers under his command during the incident in which he was killed. [TU]

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the Sage Colleges' debt to junk status. [TU]

The Flabby Tabby has been adopted -- to a family that's going to put him on a diet. The humane society says it turned down five potential adopters before finding the right family. (Earlier on AOA: The Secret Photostream of the Flabby Tabby) [WTEN] [CBS6] [TU]

Neil Breslin and Ron Canestrari are pushing legislation that would eliminate the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District, the flood control org that's trying to get $4.5 million from Capital Region counties. [Troy Record]

Roy McDonald says he "would have to talk to a lot of people first before making any decisions" about the proposed legislation that would open the way for full casinos at some upstate horse tracks, including the ones in Saratoga. [Saratogian]

Schenectady native -- and US bobsled Olympian -- John Napier is deploying to Afghanistan with the Vermont National Guard. [WNYT]

A former River Rat has been acquitted of the sodomy charge filed against him after a 2008 encounter. [TU]

The numbers of doctors in New York State being disciplined is going down -- even as the number of complaints is increasing, according to a NYPIRG report. [TU] [NYPIRG]

The City of Albany and Alive at Five organizers are offering vouchers for cab rides. [WTEN] (Question: will there be enough cabs to go around?)

Albany city officials hoping to the makeover a North Swan Street Park will help push the troubled surrounding neighborhood in a better direction. [YNN] [TU]

Eighteen people are looking for a place to live after a fire ripped through apartments on Central Ave in Albany late yesterday afternoon (map). [CBS6] [WNYT]

A group of seniors at Catskill High School allegedly rode motor bikes through the hallways of the school yesterday as part of a prank. [Fox23]

The Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, the unit based in Glenville that flies the polar ice cap missions, is getting new a leader. [Daily Gazette $]

Rides on the carousel in Saratoga's Congress Park will now be $1 and will be sold via tokens. [Saratogian]

Is radio host David Paterson's next job? [NYT]