All Over Albany

State budget finally finished, APD drains pond for investigation, horse sells for $1.2 million, war temporarily declared on Troy

The state budget is essentially finished. The state Senate passed the final revenue bill 32-28 along party lines last night with little debate. (David Paterson still has to sign the bill, which he's expected to do.) The final bill includes a handful of tax increases, including the restoration of sales tax on clothing items under $110. The overall state budget is projected to total $136.5 billion, up 2.4 percent from last year. [TU] [NYDN] [Fox23] [YNN] [NYDN] [NYT]

Not a part of the final budget deal: a bill that would allow SUNY campuses to set their own tuition rates. A Buffalo-area senator had been holding out for the measure, but relented after a "framework" for the issue was announced. Neil Breslin called the SUNY act's failure to move "a huge disappointment." [Buffalo News] [State of Politics] [AP/Post-Star]

The state lottery division has recommended that Genting New York win the rights to develop a racino at Aqueduct. Genting's bid includes an upfront $380 million payment to the state, some of which would go towards propping up NYRA (the org that runs the Saratoga Race Course). Genting was the only remaining bidder in the process -- and it's unclear whether David Paterson and legislative leaders will all provide the necessary OKs. [Saratogian] [TU] [Post-Star] [YNN]

Albany police drained Tivoli Lake yesterday as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Ashley Carroll -- though the APD says it has no information she was located in the pond. The only thing they reportedly found yesterday was an old car. [Troy Record] [TU] [WNYT]

A NYRA vice president alleged yesterday that an official in the former Pataki administration had offered him a seat on the NYRA board in return for a $100k political donation. A Pataki spokesman denied the accusation. [TU] [Saratogian]

A Schenectady family has had just awful luck. [WNYT]

Schenectady police say a Clifton Park man was shot in the bum Monday night. [TU]

The Troy man who allegedly told police he "figured it was just as easy to stab" to his girlfriend as it was to break up with her, pleaded not guilty. [Troy Record]

Ding-dong drama: a Bethlehem town judge officially dismissed the charges against Daniel Van Plew. [TU]

Police allege that an Albany man stole two purses from people inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. [TU]

An 81-year-old Colonie man, whose family says becomes disoriented without his medication and had has been missing since Monday, has been found in Worcester. [Troy Record] [CBS6]

The Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society has temporarily stopped adopting out cats after a litter of stray kittens tested positive for feline distemper. [Troy Record]

The highest price paid for a horse at this year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select sale was $1.2 million. [Saratogian]

Troy officially opened the reconstructed Washington Place. (Earlier on AOA:
Block by block, Washington Place is back together) [Troy Record]

The development plans at Clifton Park Center will include a new 10 screen modern movie theater, a Hilton Garden Inn an Olive Garden, a Buffalo Wild Wings and a new Meat House location. [Fox23]

Alex Torres' Latin music shop in Amsterdam is closing. [Daily Gazette]

The "Republic of Daisy Baker's" temporarily declared war on the city of Troy last night. [Troy Record]