Woman fights off alleged kidnap attempt, car drives through wall of restaurant, casting agent says word's getting around about Albany
Colonie police say they arrested a man for alleging trying to a rob and kidnap a woman at a Wolf Road office yesterday while wielding what turned out to be a BB handgun. Witnesses say as the man tried to force the woman into her car, she hit the man with her purse and then ran to safety at Professor's Java's. A co-worker told WTEN that the woman knew from watching Oprah that she should not get in the car with the man. [TU] [YNN] [Fox23] [WTEN]
If the Aqueduct racino deal goes through -- as it appears it will now -- it will splash money all over the racing industry in New York State. The president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce said the impact in Saratoga is "huge." [Saratogian] [Post-Star]
The feds are reportedly now investigating whether someone illegally accessed Sherr-una Booker's medical records the day after NYT asked David Paterson about the alleged incident of domestic violence involving Booker and now-suspended aide David Johnson. Johnson was arraigned on five charges yesterday related to the alleged incident. When asked about the case yesterday, Paterson didn't say much. [NYT] [State of Politics] [Daily Politics]
The Albany County sheriff's office says it arrested a 62-year-old man at his South Mall Towers apartment in Albany yesterday for allegedly having heroin, cocaine and oxycontin. They say residents had complained about the man dealing drugs. An inspector said it's not often they bust someone that age for dealing. [TU] [Troy Record] [WNYT] [YNN]
The alleged gang assault of two people on Washington Ave in Albany this week appears to have been a spontaneous eruption of violence. [TU]
State police say an elderly woman drove her car through the side of a Friendly's in Clifton Park yesterday. They say the woman's car jumped a curb, drove through some bushes and into a glass and concrete wall of the restaurant. They say an employee was treated for minor injuries. [Daily Gazette] [WTEN] [TU]
Five pharmacy operators snagged in that interstate steroids case three years ago have sued Albany County prosecutors for alleged civil rights violations. [TU]
NYSUT, the powerful teachers union, has decided to not endorse Andrew Cuomo for governor. The union's president said Cuomo's "positions on property tax caps and statements about public employees have raised a lot of concerns among NYSUT members." Cuomo has said he would push for a property tax cap. [TU] [NYSUT]
A Ballston Spa woman says she'd like to get treatment for rabies after a close call with a rabid bat -- but Saratoga Hospital says it won't give her the shots because of state and federal guidelines. [TU]
A woman got into what sounds like a minor car accident yesterday with "Jerry Jennings" -- but NOT that Jerry Jennings. [TU]
The superintendent of Capital Hills, Albany's city golf course, has recommended that the course be exempted from city restrictions on pesticide use. [TU]
Says the casting agent for Sister Spirit: "It's really easy and inexpensive to work in Albany and that word's getting around." [TU]
The GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna has gotten $6.3 million DARPA grant to develop sensors that mimic structures on butterfly wings. [TU]
The planned NY City Bus service from Saratoga to NYC has been cancelled. [Saratogian]
The life an times of the Rensselaer County dairy princess. [TU]
Does it look like Lake George gives a #$%&? [YNN]
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Comments
First off, stay classy Lake George. Secondly, that Washington Ave attack was not spontaneous. Unless I read it wrong, both parties were yelling and taunting each other over DOGS and I know, what a shocker, the 17 year old kids from Schenectady beat the crap out of this guy. The guy blew a kiss at them. This city is turning into The Warriors.
... said Save Pine Hills on Aug 13, 2010 at 10:53 AM | link
I find the details in the case of the Washington Avenue assault to be very chilling. There are so many things that are wrong with the scenario. First, that the kids thought dogfighting was cool. If the kids were asked to leave and then responded with a barrage of profanity, I don't blame a minor retaliation. Personally, I would have gone into my house with my dog to avoid further incident, but not everyone is as wimpy as me. Second, the lack of remorse and "laughing" displayed by the attacker is also very disturbing, and it shows that a slap on the wrist will in no way correct that violent behavior.
I was also attacked in a random and violent manner, in the summer of 2004. I lived on Delaware Avenue at the time, and was walking home after a night on Lark Street. A similar "gang" of 5 or 6 kids who looked no older than 16 came upon me and my female friend. They had no interest in robbing us, they just attacked us. They hit us with sticks, spit on us, and broke my glasses. I stumbled into Susie's shaken and bleeding to call the police, who seemed surprisingly uninterested in my tale, and said quite literally, "I don't know what you expect me to do about it."
My point is, it doesn't matter if you retaliate with curse words (which I didn't) or try to walk away (which I did). If these kids want to beat the piss out of you for no reason, they will. I find the notion very scary indeed. The question is, how do we fix it?
... said Summer on Aug 13, 2010 at 12:10 PM | link
From the Lake George article:
I like it when writers make their puns subtle (attn: Times Union staff).
... said Ellsass on Aug 13, 2010 at 12:14 PM | link
Poor dig on Susie! (interesting for the story... totally), Im not sure what your actual message is, kids these days.., or Susie upset me. Maybe it wasn't Susie, but hmmm... Considering how often she's hangin out with APD at the Cafe something doesn't make sense.
How do we fix it?
How about handguns, mace, tasers, nunchucks, shooting stars and birthcontrol?
... said MattW on Aug 13, 2010 at 12:38 PM | link
Matt, I think you misunderstood me, Susie was great to me and called the cops. It was the cop who responded that didn't give a rats ass that I had just been beaten with an ice scraper.
... said Summer on Aug 13, 2010 at 12:50 PM | link
Now thats something I can understand :)
APD has a challenging job.
... said MattW on Aug 13, 2010 at 1:05 PM | link
The point of my post was to illustrate that I have also had a random, unnecessary and violent run in with teenagers, much like the incidents discussed in the news recently. It's nothing new, it's been a problem for some time, and I don't see how it's going to go away. It sucks. The cop's unfortunate disinterest was a side note.
... said Summer on Aug 13, 2010 at 1:32 PM | link