All Over Albany

Cuomo says focus is on creating jobs, wedding prize taken away because of contest mishap, cheaper food prices at The Track, Gosling "inundated" with fans at the Van Dyck

You may have noticed that it's hot. Act accordingly. [standing outside]

Andrew Cuomo says the next phase of his administration will "operationalize" his plans for state government and focus on creating jobs, especially upstate. (He also apparently will have a focus on using consulting buzzwords.) [State of Politics] [NYT] [TU]

The contract deals reached with CSEA and PEF amount to just about a third of the workforce savings for which the Cuomo admin had been aiming. [TU]

The state Department of Labor will be assessing businesses up to $21.25 per employee to cover the cost of interest payments on the state's unemployment insurance fund. [TU]

Troy Democrats are backing county legislator Lou Rosamilia as their candidate for Troy mayor, now that Clement Camapana is out of the race. [Troy Record]

One of the new Schenectady police recruits sworn in this week was let go Tuesday after the Daily Gazette raised questions about the credits he received from an online college alleged to be a diploma mill. Schenectady's police chief says the recruit, a Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, did not attempt to mislead city and SPD officials. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

The National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriage, will soon start a campaign against Roy McDonald because of his vote on the Marriage Equality Act. Publicly, McDonald seems somewhat less than concerned. [Post-Star] [State of Politics]

Scotia's mayor says the top candidate for village's police chief job is a Schenectady police captain. If the selection is approved, Scotia will apply for a waiver so the captain can retire from the Schenectady Police Department so he can start drawing his pension (in addition to his new chief's salary) and retiree health benefits (so Scotia won't have to pay for his health coverage). [Daily Gazette] [TU]

More bits from the Steven Raucci emails: Raucci obsessive behavior as the district's energy manager got him tagged as "The Energy Nazi." And he seems to have had an odd relationship with his secretary. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Fly92 had to take a $40k wedding prize away from a couple because of a mishap during a contest. [TU]

NYRA is touting some lower food prices at The Track this year. Example: the cheapest beer this year will be a 12 oz for $3, compared to a 20 oz. for $6.75 last year (that's a difference of almost 9 cents per ounce). [Saratogian] [Fox23]

Albany police say a Rensselaer man nearly hit two people Monday evening when he drove his car onto the sidewalk on Madison Avenue, hit a building, then hit a car (injuring the woman driving the car), jumped the sidewalk again, hit a light pole, then a fire hydrant, and a street sign at Pearl and Madison (map). (press release below) [APD]

The Albany County sheriff's office says a man was arrested for allegedly choking and kicking his pregnant fiance in the stomach, and trying to pry the engagement ring off her finger. The sheriff's office says the attack started when the man alleged the woman's baby is not his. [CBS6] [WTEN]

The Washington Park Association in Troy wants to buy the former St. Mary's Catholic church and turn it into a cultural center (map). [TU]

The Denison Farm in Rensselaer County, the Capital Region's first CSA, is trying to raise the last $15k needed for a conservation easement for the farm. [Troy Record]

The 9/11 memorial sculpture slated to be placed in front of the Saratoga City Center is headed for a new site because it's too big. [Saratogian]

Ryan Gosling reportedly was "inundated" with fans when he stopped into the the Van Dyck recently. [Daily Gazette]

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APD press release

Albany police arrested a 41 year old Rensselaer man with a suspended license late yesterday afternoon after he recklessly drove onto the sidewalk on lower Madison Avenue almost striking two people. He then hit a car on Madison Avenue injuring the driver before leaving the scene of the accident.

Gregory Stevens, of 3396 River Road was charged with Reckless Endangerment 1st, Criminal Mischief 4th, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Auto Accident and Reckless Driving.

Stevens was driving a 2011 Dodge Charger at a high rate of speed on Trinity Place just before 6:00 p.m. when he ran the stop sign at Madison Avenue. He drove up onto the sidewalk with the car and just missed hitting a man and woman who jumped out of the way of the speeding car. Stevens then hit the building at 127 Madison Avenue. He proceeded to back off the sidewalk onto Madison Avenue where he struck a car driven by Nancy Hello. Stevens drove away from the accident and continued east on Madison Avenue, lost control of the car and jumped the sidewalk again. His vehicle stopped when he hit the light pole, fire hydrant and a street sign at the intersection of South Pearl and Madison Avenue.

Officers who responded took Stevens into custody without further incident. His license to drive was suspended six times on three separate dates.

Hello was transferred to Albany Medical Center with a leg injury. No one else was injured in the incident.