All Over Albany

McDonald: "let's all just live our lives," alleged police chief sexts released, Albany schools head "very disappointed" about grad rates, yellow teeth prompt SSHS admin to take scissors to yearbook

Roy McDonald on his decision to vote "yes" on legalizing same-sex marriage: "I'm not out to hurt some gay guy, gay woman. Live your lifestyle. That's not my lifestyle, but God bless 'em -- it's America. Be nice to people, and let's all just live our lives." McDonald represents the 31st vote for the legislation (32 needed to pass), and the second Republican state Senator in the "yes" column. A handful of other Republican Senators are reportedly also considering a "yes" vote. It's looking like the bill will come up for a vote on Friday. [TU] [NYT] [NYDN]

Hugh Farley reiterated yesterday that he plans to vote "no" on legalizing same-sex marriage. [Saratogian]

There's a knot involving multiple bills -- notably rent control extension -- that's starting to clog the final days of the legislative session. That could lead to an end-of-session rush known as "the big ugly." [NYT] [TU]

The attorney for Saratoga Springs police chief Christopher Cole released a series of text messages allegedly exchanged by Cole and Laurie Masi that indicate their sexting was consensual. In one of the alleged exchanges, Masi asks for Cole to send her an explicit pic. (Also: the exchanges are extraordinarily cheesy.) [Saratogian] [WNYT]

This morning Schenectady police raided a house across the street from where Eddie Stanley was shot and killed this past weekend (map). They say the raid was related to Stanley's death. One person was taken into custody. [CBS6] [WTEN] [TU]

As part of the release of high school graduation rates yesterday, the state Ed Department also reported the percentage of students who are graduating ready for college or careers: 37 percent. About Albany High School's regular graduation rate of just 47 percent, district superintendent Ray Colucciello said: "We're very, very disappointed. It's something we thought should be going up as well." [AOA] [NYT] [TU]

Schenectady's public safety commissioner says the Tuesday morning shooting in a Hamilton Hill apartment was a woman's ex-boyfriend shooting her current boyfriend. [Daily Gazette]

Charlie Muller wants to extend his church's gun buyback program to Schenectady. [YNN]

A Rotterdam woman is getting an $18,000 settlement after the Schenectady Police Department incorrectly included her name in a September 2010 list of arrests. [Daily Gazette]

State Police say a trooper's car was hit from behind near Exit 2 of the Northway Monday night and the car, with the trooper inside, flipped end over end. State Police say the trooper's seat belt and the car's fire suppression system saved his life. [TU] [Saratogian]

The Albany County sheriff's office says it's identified the man it says has been setting up fake military parties at a bunch of local restaurants -- it thinks he has mental illness issues. [TU]

Carmella Mantello leads Clement Campana 60-40 for Troy mayor, according to a Record/Gramercy robo-poll. [Troy Record]

Acting Schenectady mayor -- and mayoral candidate -- Gary McCarthy is refusing to grant a designation necessary for some supporters of Alliance Party candidate Roger Hull to gather Republican signatures for Hull. [TU]

Hull says Metroplex should be more involved with knocking down vacant buildings in Schenectady neighborhoods, though Metroplex doesn't sound too keen on that. [Daily Gazette]

Democrat Brent Wilkes is officially into the pool for Saratoga mayor. [Saratogian]

New York's top court has ruled that a juror's crush on an attorney during a trial doesn't not necessarily make the juror biased. [TU]

The Saratoga Springs High School administration cut a photo out of the yearbook distributed yesterday because a girl's senior picture appears to have been altered to make it look she has two yellow teeth. The school district is calling the situation a "misprint." Says the girl's father: "This whole thing is just a debacle." [Saratogian] [Fox23] [Daily Gazette] [Post-Star]

The Vorheesville middle school's Odyssey of the Mind team was honored by the state Assembly for finishing first in the world finals. [TU]