All Over Albany

Stratton reportedly leaving mayor's office for job with Cuomo admin, letter says Skidmore students "repeatedly misrepresented" after alleged assault, crows know the schedule

The Times Union reports that "two people familiar with the mayor's plans" say Brian Stratton will resign as Schenectady mayor to take a job with the Cuomo administration. An official announcement is expected today. Stratton's position with the state has not been disclosed, but "two sources with knowledge" say he's been picked to head up the state canal corporation. Stratton's up for re-election this November. City council president Gary McCarthy would take over as mayoral duties if/when Stratton resigns. [TU] [State of Politics] [TU CapCon] [WNYT] [CBS6]

Jim Tedisco says Andrew Cuomo told legislature Republicans at the Governor's Mansion yesterday that if the legislature hasn't passed a budget by April 1, he will then employ the "Paterson school of budgeting" and stuff his proposed cuts into a budget extender -- which the legislature could approve, or let the state government shut down. [NY Post] [Saratogian]

There's criticism rising that Cuomo's proposed budget is so vague about what to cut that legislators can't figure out what actually will get axed. [Buffalo News]

You know that "SAGE" panel that Andrew Cuomo has been saying will find efficiencies through state government? It's yet to meet and hasn't even been filled out yet. [TU]

The owners of the Kings Ransom dairy farm in Saratoga County say they could end up losing 100 cows as a result of the barn roof that collapsed under weight of snow. Collapsed roofs have apparently become a problem throughout the Northeast this winter. Four local counties are seeking a disaster designation so farmers can get federal assistance. [Saratogian] [NYT] [Daily Gazette]

An open space org is pushing for a state mandated penny-per-bag fee on disposable plastic bags as way of funding state parks. Despite a proposed six percent cut to the state parks budget, the acting head of the parks agency says he doesn't expect any parks will have to close this year. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Government watchdog groups say First Lady-friend Sandra Lee should disclose her financial interests to make clear if there are potential conflicts of interest for Andrew Cuomo. [NYDN]

A new contractor has been brought in to handle the radioactive cleanup at the Knolls Atomic Power Lab in Niskayuna. [TU]

A group of Skidmore faculty has issued a letter supporting the four students involved in the alleged assault at Compton's, saying the students have been "repeatedly misrepresented, continually marginalized and severely misunderstood." [TU]

Marybeth Tinning -- the Schenectady woman convicted in 1987 of killer one of her children, and implicated in the deaths of seven of her other children -- has been denied parole again. [Daily Gazette]

Troy police say six RPI students have been arrested for an alleged break-in at Troy High School. [CBS6]

Troy's fire chief says "it's unacceptable" that an RPI dispatcher mistakenly sent them to the wrong campus address for a fire call Tuesday (the TFD and RPI have been feuding for a while now). [Troy Record]

Albany firefighters ability to take on a South End fire Tuesday was hampered by a fire hydrant that hadn't been dug out of the snow. [WTEN]

The Saratoga County DA's office says a Saratoga Springs man was charged for his alleged role in an international gambling operation. [Saratogian]

The electrical contractor engaged in a lawsuit with RPI over the construction of EMPAC is now suing the school for punitive damages, alleging defamation. [Troy Record]

War on Crows The mayor of Amsterdam says the crows in her city have learned the garbage pickup schedule. Earlier: A dossier on our crow invaders [Daily Gazette]