Still few details about Obama's visit to Schenectady, first settlement in Raucci case, three accused of kidnapping man who's still missing and presumed dead
There are still few details about Barack Obama's visit to Schenectady next Tuesday, though the White House has now confirmed that he's actually coming. (Brian Stratton says he got the official word that President Obama would be visiting via a call on his mobile from the White House yesterday at 2 pm.) "Sources" are telling news outlets that the President will be visiting the GE campus, specifically the new battery plant being built there. Whatever the reason, local officials are chuffed. [WNYT] [YNN] [TU] [State of Politics] [Daily Gazette] [TU]
The Saratoga County Water Authority has filed a $27 million lawsuit against GE, arguing the PCB contamination of the Hudson River made the authority's construction of a new water system more expensive than it otherwise would have been. [TU] [Post-Star]
The Schenectady school district approved a $250k settlement for one of the former employees who says he was harassed by Steven Raucci. The district will pay 60 percent of that, insurance will cover the rest. There could be as many as five other cases up for settlement. [Daily Gazette] [TU] [WNYT]
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health report that almost 10 percent of the people near the LaFarge cement plant in Ravena had mercury levels that exceeded state and federal guidelines. The cement plant is one of the state's largest sources of mercury emissions, though the researchers say the can't yet say that the mercury in the study participants' bodies came from the plant. [Fox23] [TU]
Paul A. Walker Jr., the man convicted of shooting a pizza shop manager in Troy in 2009, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. [Troy Record]
The Albany County DAs office say three men have been indicted on charges related the disappearance of a Guilderland man whom police suspected was abducted so he could be interrogated for information about his marijuana stash. The DA's office says the man is still missing and presumed dead. [Fox23] [YNN] [Daily Gazette]
The Colonie man whose friend died in crash while the two were racing through the town last March has taken a plea deal that could put him in prison for as long as three years. [TU]
The Troy man accused of repeatedly stabbing his girlfriend in her sleep last year has decided to represent himself in court. [Troy Record]
One of the men allegedly attacked by four Skidmore students, in what police have called a hate crime, is a Saratoga County sheriff's deputy who was off duty at the time. [Post-Star]
Albany police are hoping someone will recognize the guy in this surveillance photo -- they're looking for him as part of an investigation into a stabbing at Madison and Ontario last year (map. [TU]
A Schenectady man accused of drunk driving showed up to court... drunk. [Daily Gazette]
Kirsten Gillibrand says her goals for her next two years in the Senate include filibuster reform and earmark transparency. [TU] [Fox23]
The Town of Colonie's decision to consolidate the department responsible for providing services to volunteer fire departments has drawn opposition. [TU]
Saratoga County Airport officials say they have plans to upgrade the facility in order to attract business related to the GlobalFoundries chip fab. [Post-Star]
North Greenbush police say they're investigating the December disappearance of a dog as a criminal matter. There's a $1000 reward for the safe return of Diesel, a two-year-old boxer. [Troy Record] [CBS6]
An East Greenbush woman has started up a business to produce "green" diapers. [TU]
... said KGB about Drawing: What's something that brought you joy this year?