APD spokesman pleads not guilty to DWI, Schumer pushing for Henry Johnson to get Medal of Honor, Gibson opposes Libya intervention, couple says hole in the road looked like a puddle
Albany police department spokesman James Miller appeared in court yesterday and pleaded not guilty to the DWI charge against him. Miller also released a statement to the media that said, in part: "I would just like to say that I am saddened and regret the negative publicity that this situation has put on my family, the entire Albany Police Department and the citizens of Albany." People "familiar with the case" tell the Times Union that the officer who arrested Miller had seen him shortly before the traffic stop and told him not to drive. Because of Miller's position, a local defense attorney says she expects to the DA's office to go "after him harder than they would come at a regular citizen." [Troy Record] [Fox23] [TU] [WNYT]
UAlbany's student association president urged students to not attend the unsanctioned Fountain Day events being organized because "it sends the wrong message and makes matters worse." Also: "If you look on Facebook right now, people who are complaining about President Philip have misspelled his name. That does not help our message." [WNYT] [Fox23]
A survivor's group for people abused by priests is questioning why the three Catholic priests who were placed on leave by the Albany diocese this past weekend were cleared during an investigation seven years ago. The group says the new allegations match those made by another alleged victim in 2003. [WTEN] [TU] [Fox23]
Chuck Schumer will be in Albany today to push for Henry Johnson to posthumously receive the Medal of Honor. Schumer's staff has reportedly turned up documents that support the WWI veteran's case. [Fox23] [TU]
Chris Gibson released a statement yesterday opposing American intervention in Libya:
"Certainly I empathize with the Libyan people who desire to live free; however, I am deeply concerned with President Obama's decision to intervene militarily in their civil war. Our country is currently facing a myriad of challenges, including working to complete our objectives in Iraq and Afghanistan, protecting our cherished way of life from extremist terrorist networks, and struggling here at home to address a skyrocketing deficit that poses a tremendous threat to our national security. Now is not the time to take on new missions. The Libyans must decide their own fate and we should stop our military operations immediately." [Gibson email]
The man who was convicted of shooting a Schenectady woman in the face on Valentine's Day out of jealousy last year has been sentenced to 31 years in prison. [TU] [Daily Gazette]
The Schenectady man accused of neglecting his three cats so badly that two died, and the third ended up eating the other two, was arrested in Saratoga. [Saratogian]
Albany police say two men with a knife robbed The Wine Shop on New Scotland Ave in Albany's Helderberg neighborhood Sunday evening (map). [YNN]
Former Schenectady County sheriff Harry Buffardi says he's running for Rotterdam town supervisor on the Democratic slate. [TU]
Victory -- the tiny village with big drama. [Saratogian]
Saratoga Springs mayor Scott Johnson says the city still has plans to develop the property it bought on Saratoga Lake into a park. [Daily Gazette]
The possible local upside to the proposed AT&T wireless merger with T-Mobile: better coverage and network speeds. The probable downside, both here and everywhere else: higher prices. By the way: Verizon says its 4G network will be activated in the Albany area this year. [TU] [NYT] [WTEN]
Another semi-conductor business is moving to Albany Nanotech. [Troy Record]
Schenectady wants to prompt a recycling revolution -- a "recyclution," if you will. [Daily Gazette]
The former Weathervane restaurant on South Broadway in Saratoga is slated to become a gym that will include training for MMA. [Saratogian]
The couple whose SUV plunged through a washed out hole in a road in northern Saratoga County Friday night say it appeared as if there were going to drive through a puddle (check out the photo of their SUV). [WNYT]
Bow Tie Cinemas reportedly says Saratoga Springs would be a good location for a theater -- but the soon-to-be-former Borders location is too small and doesn't have enough parking. [Marv Cermak]
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Comments
Henry Johnson would be in good company -- Albany has been the hometown of 27 Congressional Medal of Honor awardees (and another 12 were born here). Probably the most commonly recognized name would be Parker Dunn, the private from Monroe Street for whom the Dunn Memorial Bridge is named.
... said Carl on Mar 22, 2011 at 11:54 AM | link
Ah ha! I just recognized APD James Miller's picture from the Kegs and Eggs video!
... said Barold on Mar 22, 2011 at 2:13 PM | link
The Wine Shop robbery makes me sad. That woman is the sweetest person around. I love that place....the thought of her getting robbed at knifepoint depresses me beyond belief.
... said jess on Mar 22, 2011 at 2:48 PM | link
“Are you coming after me?†she asked, stating that this was an open meeting.
“If I were coming after you, deary, you would know it,†he said, sitting down.
I wanna move to Victory!
... said Eric on Mar 23, 2011 at 5:07 AM | link
This is a dubious honor: the Kegs and Eggs riot made the "worst of St. Patrick's Day" poll at the Irish Central website. So far it's ahead. How depressing.
http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/Announcing--the-worst-of--St-Patricks-Day-2011-118420074.html
You know what else I find depressing? The way the riot feeds into outsiders' perceptions of Albany as a dump that you'd never want to visit, much less live in. Drives me nuts.
... said Bee on Mar 23, 2011 at 10:18 AM | link