All Over Albany

Layoff letters go out to state employees, Cuomo pushing for current year cuts, Dino founder says opening in Troy was a delight, baffling beavers

Layoff letters have gone out to almost 900 state employees whose positions are scheduled to be cut at the end of this year. [AP/Post-Star]

Andrew Cuomo will reportedly press the legislature to approve David Paterson's plan to cut $315 million from the current year state budget. [NY Post]

Nearly two-thirds of New York State's natural gas transmission lines were installed before 1970 using a lower-quality welding technique no longer widely used. [TU]

An increase in the Albany County sales tax appears to be off the table -- though the legislature and county exec Mike Breslin are still have significant differences on the budget. [TU]

Chuck Schumer is now essentially the #2 leader in the US Senate. [NYT]

The development most at issue in Malta is not the GlobalFoundries chip fab, but rather a mixed-use complex that could change the character of the town's center. [TU]

Schenctady's interim school district superintendent wants to cut the district's two assistant superintendent positions. [Daily Gazette]

A consolidation study concludes that a merger of the Cohoes and Watervliet fire departments could potentially save $300k a year -- though there are a number of obstacles to those savings. [WNYT] [Troy Record]

Some African-American leaders called for Albany County legislator Brian Scavo to resign after he left a comment on a TU blog in which he used the phrase "back of the bus sister." Scavo said he's the subject of character assassination and called the complaints "petty, partisan, political politics." [WNYT] [TU Local Politics] [TU]

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que founder John Stage told a crowd at St. Rose this past weekend that opening the new Troy location was a "delight" compared to opening a location in NYC. [Troy Record]

Potential investors in new businesses at the Arthur's Market site in Schenectady's Stockade can't get money from the Metroplex Authority because the org is barred from helping to create commercial space in the historic neighborhood. [Daily Gazette]

A former NXIVM official alleges in court papers that the Colonie-based org uses its training sessions to "stalk" students for sex and money. [TU]

Amtrak is expecting record ridership this week. [YNN]

The restored Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany was rededicated Sunday, on the 158th anniversary of its original dedication. [Troy Record]

A 25-year-old Ft. Edward woman was arrested on charges she raped a 12-year-old boy. [WTEN]

Cobleskill police say they arrested a school bus driver for allegedly telling students on the bus about her sexual encounters with other adults. [WTEN]

The Lake George Opera at Saratoga is changing its name to Opera Saratoga. [Daily Gazette]

The chef from the Gideon Putnam has been consulting with the Saratoga Springs school district on school lunches. [Saratogian]

About 300 people took the Polar Bear Plunge in Lake George this past weekend. [Post-Star]

Saratoga Springs now has a Peace Pole.

Constructed recently in Saratoga: one beaver baffler. [TU]