All Over Albany

Albany and Schenectady schools get millions intended for fixes, bandage reportedly found in ice cream, make sure to warm up before sprinting toward the stars

The state Education Department announced yesterday that the Albany and Schenectady school districts will be getting millions in funding to improve "persistently lowest achieving" schools. The Albany school district will be getting $3.3 million to put toward implementing the "transformation" model at Albany High School and Hackett Middle School -- the district's superintendent says it's focusing on a new teacher evaluation system and "changing the way instruction is delivered." The Schenectady school district is getting $2 million for it high school -- its superintendent says the district's efforts will include identifying students are struggling in earlier grades. [NYSED] [TU] [Daily Gazette]

The state legislative task force in charge of drawing legislative districts says it will be counting prison inmates with the communities from which they came -- not the communities in which they're imprisoned (this issue has been the subject of a lawsuit). Also: Albany common councilman Anton Konev testified before the task force, arguing that the city of Albany should be covered by just one Assembly district, instead of its current two. [TU] [YNN] [TU]

The Troy city council voted 7-1 in favor of borrowing $2.2 million to convert the Dauchy Building into a new city hall. Though it may have been a vote of principle more than a step toward action. [TU] [Troy Record]

Green Island police say a 29-year-old woman drove her teen nieces to a park so they could fight another teen girl with whom they had been feuding on Facebook. Police allege the woman also encouraged them to fight at the scene and then jumped in herself. Is there mobile phone video? Of course. Cue the video of the girls fighting? Of course. [TU] [Fox23] [WNYT]

A woman says she found a bandage in ice cream she was served at a newsstand in downtown Albany. (Be sure to read the quote at the end.) [TU]

The Cuomo administration has been turning seats on state commissions that previously included six-figure salaries for just a few days of work into per-diem-only positions. [TU]

Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that makes being a spectator at an animal fighting event a misdemeanor. [AP/Fox23]

That interstate steroids case with which Albany County DA David Soares has been involved with the prosecution is game on again after a appellate court ruling. [TU]

The husband of Albany County legislator Wanda Willingham has been getting social services payments to take care of their grandchildren -- an arrangement that reported has "raised eyebrows," but appears to be legal. [TU]

Saratoga Springs police say they're stepping up patrols and asking people to keep an eye out because of two sexual assaults over the last two weekends. [Saratogian]

The Raucci emails appear to support the idea that Schenectady school district officials got significant help from Steven Raucci on union issues (Raucci was both a supervisor and head of the union unit). [Daily Gazette]

The state has given the OK for the new Saratoga Hospital/Albany Medical Center urgent care facility at Exit 12 in Saratoga County. [Saratogian]

Noted: the statements of career criminals should be read with skepticism. [TU]

A web development company is buying the former St. Theresa's Catholic church in Albany's New Scotland neighborhood to use as office and residential space. [TU]

How did Marylou Whitney end up paying $100k for a $3k dinner? She was bidding against her husband. [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette]

A woman twisted her ankle yesterday while getting caught in a crowd rushing to gawk at Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes in Scotia. [Daily Gazette]