All Over Albany

Healthcare workers acquitted in Northwoods case, mercury found in Albany Med cafeteria, Saratoga man arrested for allegedly threatening White House, the weekend in brawling

The four defendants in the Northwoods nursing home trial were acquitted by the jury on Friday. One of the defendants, a physicians assistant, said afterward that the state attorney general's office should have gone after the management of the facility instead of frontline health workers. [Troy Record] [TU]

Albany police say an Albany Med employee found mercury on a food tray in the hospital's cafeteria Friday, prompting a temporary shutdown of the food facility. A search then found mercury in other opened-container foods. The APD says the investigation is being treated as a criminal matter, and the State Police and FBI are assisting. [Fox23] [WTEN] [TU]

The Saratoga County DA's office says a Saratoga Springs man has been arrested for allegedly sending two threatening communications to the White House message board, one against the President and another against an unspecified elementary school, via email on Friday. The owner of the motel where the man was staying said the man had appeared "very frustrated ... talking bad about everybody." [Saratoga County DA] [Saratogian]

Albany County DA David Soares says he did allow a NXIVM rep to work with the DA's office developing a case against a business consultant to the group -- but says he resisted "tremendous pressure" from NXIVM and its allies to purse a second indictment against the man. [TU]

A study done for the state Department of Transportation concludes that traffic on the I-87/Route 9 corridor in Saratoga and Albany counties will "grow to intolerable levels" without some sort of new plan. More than 100,000 cars a day travel the Northway each day in the corridor. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

A group of 14 county district attorneys signed a letter to bishop Howard Hubbard questioning the Roman Catholic Diocese's handling of sexual abuse complaints. [TU]

An Albany City Court judge has formally dismissed charges against 88 people arrested as part of Occupy Albany. [TU]

The Saratoga County Conservative Party committee has decided to not support Roy McDonald in this year's election. [Saratogian]

Bob Reilly has donated his state Assembly salary to charity for the seventh consecutive year. [Troy Record]

Schoharie County has incurred significant costs housing its inmates at the Albany County jail because its facility was damaged by Irene. [Daily Gazette]

A national shortage of IV drugs has local healthcare providers scrambling for supplies. [TU]

Stands of aspens in the Pine Bush have been clear cut in an effort to restore the native pitch pine-scrub oak barrens ecosystem. [Daily Gazette]

Troy police say a man was found unconscious with a fractured skull on the sidewalk outside the River Street strip that includes Brown's early Sunday (map). [Fox23]

Saratoga Springs police say an officer was injured breaking up a fight on Caroline Street early Sunday morning. [Saratogian]

Albany police say two people were found injured at Hamilton and Ontario early Sunday morning following a report of fighting (map). [YNN]

Albany police say a group trashed a hallway in the TownePlace Suites on Holland Avenue early Sunday morning (map). The fire department ended up responding after mace was possibly used (there are conflicting reports), causing breathing trouble in guests. [TU] [YNN]

An SUV crashed into a building in Albany's Arbor Hill neighborhood Friday night, severing a gas line (map). Albany police say the vehicle was reported the stolen and the driver ran off after the crash. [CBS6] [WTEN]

A Ballston Lake man say she found a two-inch piece of metal in a tub of ice cream. [Fox23]

The Niskayuna Co-op is planning $250k in upgrades to its store. [Daily Gazette]

Someone shot paintballs at one of the newly-restored Jumpin' Jack's buildings. [Daily Gazette]

The UAlbany men's basketball team lost to Stony Brook 57-55 at the buzzer in the semi-final of the American East tournament, ending its season. The Siena men's basketball team lost to Loyola 70-60 in the semi-final of the MAAC tournament, ending its season. [ESPN] [ESPN]