All Over Albany

Mercure sentenced to 20-25 years in prison, is that cocaine in your underwear or are you just happy to see me, Tedisco wants to save money and trees

Gary Mercure, the local priest convicted of raping two boys in Western Massachusetts during the 1980s, was sentenced to 20-25 years in prison. Said the judge: "You're not a priest. You're no more than a common thug ... You preyed on these boys not with weapons, but with the very tools you were given to help them." Mercure reportedly smiled broadly as he left the court room. He had served as a priest at a handful of Capital Region parishes, most recently in Troy. Mercure was suspended from acting as a priest in 2008 -- the Albany diocese says it now has asked the Vatican to formally remove him from the priesthood. [Fox23] [Troy Record] [TU] [Daily Gazette] [YNN]

Colonie police say they've arrested an Albany man for the shooting in a bowling alley on Central Ave earlier this week. The victim has been released from the hospital. [CBS6] [Fox23]

The Saratoga Springs police officer who resigned this week after an investigation began into whether he had been targeting friends of an ex with traffic tickets will not face criminal charges. [Saratogian]

A convicted sex offender in Clifton Park has filed a suit against Saratoga County arguing that a county law restricting where sex offenders can live is unconstitutional. [Saratogian]

The Albany County sheriff's office says it nabbed a guy at the Albany bus station who allegedly had $170,000 worth of cocaine sewn into his underwear. They say the man told him he was being paid $1,000 to transport the coke from Arizona to Lake Placid. [WNYT] [TU]

The Saratoga Springs Borders store, slated to be closed, had been paying about $60k/year in school and library taxes. [Saratogian]

After Florida's governor rejected $2.4 billion in federal money for high speed rail, New York senators were quick to interject: we'll take that if they don't want it. [TU] [State of Politics]

Jim Tedisco is pushing legislation that would end the printing of proposed legislation in the state legislature. He argues doing so would save trees and money. [State of Politics] [TU]

Bob Reilly has again donated his Assembly salary to charity. [Troy Record]

Said an Albany woman during her victim impact statement yesterday at the sentencing of the man who robbed and threatened to shoot her: "I am a God-fearing young lady who loves the Lord, and the Bible says to 'look for the good in all men ... But when I looked into his eyes that night as he looked down on me, invading my personal space, I saw only evil." [TU]

Albany police say an 83-year-old man was robbed and injured during a home invasion in the New Scotland/Woodlawn neighborhood (map). The APD called the incident an "aberration" because there was no indication it was drug related. [WTEN] [Fox23]

The Schenectady school approved the elimination of two assistant superintendent positions, which will save about $275k/year. [Daily Gazette]

National Grid says ground movement caused by shifting temperatures has contributed to a series of gas leaks on the east side of Troy. [Troy Record]

Some lanes have been closed at the Latham Circle for repairs. [Troy Record]

The longtime owner of Morette's in Schenectady passed away last week. [Daily Gazette]

The month-long run of The Lion King at Proctors is expected to bring 80,000 people to downtown Schenectady. [Daily Gazette]