All Over Albany

Cuomo and other top officials taking pay cut, Jennings pushes for bars to close earlier, Sandra Lee visits local foodbank, cop accused of calling in false report, Troy time capsule missing

Andrew Cuomo announced that he's cutting his own pay by five percent -- that's almost $9k before taxes (and just a tiny speck in the $9 billion budget gap). Lieutenant governor Bob Duffy and other senior administration staffers will also take a 5 percent cut. New state AG Eric Schneiderman and comptroller Tom DiNapoli also say they'll follow suit. Cuomo said the state needs to cut spending and he wanted to lead by example. Said Dean Skelos of Cuomo's cut: "It has to be more than symbolism, it has to be action and results." [Cuomo admin] [TU] [Buffalo News] [NYDN] [NYT] [State of Politics]

Of course, this is all ahead of negotiations with the state employee unions about a pay freeze. Cuomo says he's "looking forward to sitting down at the table in a cooperative way with labor leaders all across the state." The union at least seem willing to talk -- said a CSEA spokesman: "Quite frankly, for the last two years, New York has really had a leadership vacuum in the Governor's office, so I see this as a very positive thing that he's trying to set a good tone." [YNN] [State of Politics] [WNYT]

State police say a pedestrian was killed last night while apparently trying to walk across the Northway between Exits 14 and 15 (map). They say the man was reportedly hit by a car, which stopped, then by two tractor trailers. The trucks reportedly kept driving. [Saratogian] [Post-Star] [CBS6]

State police say a woman walking her dog in Nassau found the body of a man hanging from a tree. The man hasn't been identified, but East Greenbush police say there's a suspicion it's the man who's been missing since an alleged hit-and-run on 9 and 20 last September. [TU] [Troy Record]

Schenectady police have identified the body found by a demolition crew in the apartment building that burned down in December as Patrick Sheehan, the building tenant who had been missing. The SPD says it's treating the case like a possible homicide. Said Sheehan's brother: "I just want to know why he was dead on the couch for 21 days and no one knew. It's gross. It's just not right to die that way." [Daily Gazette] [TU] [WNYT]

Jerry Jennings is pushing for bars and restaurants in Albany to voluntarily close at 2 am. [TU]

The League of Women Voters says $246 million was raised for state political campaigns for this past November's elections. (That's $12.69 for each person in the state.) [TU]

First Lady-friend Sandra Lee visited the Regional Food Bank of Northeast New York yesterday as part of her campaign against hunger (an issue she's been supporting since before Andrew Cuomo was elected governor). She delivered a $10k check from Sam's Club (one of her sponsors). Lee says her family relied on food banks and food stamps while she was growing up. According to a volunteer at the food bank, Lee knows how to salvage canned goods. [Troy Record] [Fox23] [WNYT] [YNN] [TU]

Tom Wood is the new chairman of the the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. Wood says the Luther Forest tech park will be the biggest issue facing the board this year. Former chairman Bill Peck will continue to handle negotiations for the county's possible purchase of the tech park. [Post-Star] [TU] [Saratogian]

The Troy schools superintendent says at least one of the district's elementary schools will close. [Troy Record]

Schenectady police say they're investigating a false fight report allegedly called in to 911 by an off-duty officer the evening of New Year's Day (apparently there was no fight). The officer has been arrested and suspended. [TU] [WTEN] [CBS6]

The man accused of leaving a kitten in a taped up box in a Troy alley has been charged with three counts of animal cruelty. According to police records, the man allegedly said he thought he was helping the cat by leaving it in the box. [Fox23] [TU]

The local union representing Albany police officers says its vote on breaking away from its umbrella org failed in part because ballots got held up in the holiday mail rush. [TU]

The Rensselaer Plateau has been added to a federal program aimed at protecting forest land. [TU]

A Schenectady city councilwoman is trying to restore funding for the job of city historian (that would be Don Rittner). [Daily Gazette]

Construction is moving ahead with the condo project at 17 Chapel, the first significant condo project in the City of Albany in some time. [TU]

The Scotia planning board approved a plan to build a 50 unit apartment complex on the site of the Scotia Diner and the former Attanasio's Restaurant. [Daily Gazette]

Stewart's Shops "holiday match" program will be donating $1.28 million to local charitable orgs. [Saratogian]

There was time capsule buried at Troy city hall back in the 1970s -- but now that the building is being demolished, no one can find the capsule. [Troy Record]

17 Chapel advertises on AOA