All Over Albany

Bouncers hired for tonight's gubernatorial debate, the weekend in crime, reward for info on dog shooting now $2k, final whistle for Bob McNamara

Ahead of tonight's gubernatorial debate, people are asking how the campaign ended up so... muddy. A NYT poll of likely voters released Sunday reported Andrew Cuomo leading Carl Paladino 59-24. [AP/Troy Record]

With seven candidates lined up for the debate, no one seems sure what to expect tonight. Andrew Cuomo has reportedly been pre-occupied with prepping for the unpredictable exchanges. And organizers of the debate have hired bouncers to wait in the wings, ready to break things up on stage. [NYT] [NYT] [NY Post]

The state attorney general's office has been slow to release records of Cuomo's schedule. [TU]

Kirsten Gillibrand and Joe DioGuardi traded attacks about their respective records in a debate Friday night. Said DioGuardi while going after KG for changing positions on issues after becoming a senator: "I haven't changed my views on anything in my whole life." [YNN] [Saratogian]

Chris Gibson on why he decided to run for Congress against Scott Murphy: "I wasn't going to sit around and complain. I was going to do something about it." [TU]

Steve McLaughlin, the Repulican challenger to state assemblyman Tim Gordon, on the state's current leadership: "This is the Empire State, but they've turned it into the Vampire State." [Troy Record]

State Senate candidate Susan Savage, who's challenging incumbent Hugh Farley, has $70,000 of credit card debt. [TU]

The race for state attorney general has focused on abortion issues. [YNN]

Ellis Medicine will spend $5.6 million and rename its nursing school as part of a settlement for allegedly misusing $2.2 million donation made to the org during the 1970s. [TU]

Rensselaer County's proposed budget includes a 4.9 percent tax increase. [WTEN]

Colonie police say a food court worker at Colonie Center stabbed another employee at the food court Sunday night. [YNN]

Albany police say four 18-year-olds said they were mugged at gunpoint by two men Friday night in Pine Hills (map). And they say another teen reported by assaulted and mugged by two men near North Allen and Lincoln (map). [TU] [Fox23]

Schenectady police say a woman was arrested after she allegedly slapped an officer who restrained her from entering her burning home Saturday (map). There were pets inside -- some made it out, but five dogs died. [TU] [Fox23]

The Watervliet family whose dog was shot by a pellet gun in their backyard and later died is now offering a $2000 reward for information. The family had originally offered $100, but donations from the public increased the reward. [YNN] [CBS6] [TU]

Police say they seized more than 50 cats from the home of the two Rensselaer County women who were recently found in Bennington with more than 70 cats in two cars. [WTEN] [TU]

Chip fabs are touted as clean industry, but people living near a fab in New Mexico say the facility has caused health problems. [TU]

Saratoga Springs is considering using an ID sticker program for taxis in order to crack down on "rogue" cabs. [Daily Gazette]

The Shen school district is considering requiring an online class, independent study or community service for high school graduation. [Daily Gazette]

A Schenectady woman is suing a drug company in an attempt to keep receiving the experimental drug she received during a now-discontinued clinical trial. [TU]

The 109th Airlift Wing out of Stratton Air National Guard Base has headed back to Antarctica. [Daily Gazette]

Sportscaster Bob McNamara, who was on local TV here for 35 years, has passed away. His career included time at WTEN, WRGB and WNYT. [Daily Gazette] [CBS6]