All Over Albany

Redistricting drama plods along, arrest in South Troy shooting, police say man hid stolen money up there, clerk's office sends condelence notes to dog owners, it's tournament time

The state task force in charge of redistricting is expected to release revised maps for the state Senate and Assembly districts today -- even though it hasn't reached an agreement with Andrew Cuomo, who's been threatening a veto. [State of Politics] [TU]

One the potential state budget battles is over $200 million in aid for schools -- Andrew Cuomo wants to be distributed as competitive grants, but the legislature wants it go into general support for schools. [AP/Post-Star] [TU]

The Cuomo administration -- which touts itself as being a paragon of transparency -- takes seemingly forever to respond to FOIL requests. [TU]

Troy police say they've arrested the shooter in the fatal Thursday afternoon South Troy shooting -- but have only charged him with weapons charges while they gather more evidence. Police say they found Allen McBee of Watervliet hiding under a bed in a residence three blocks away following the shooting (map). Police say there were many witnesses to the shooting. [TU] [YNN] [Troy Record] [WTEN]

Suspended Albany police officer Robert Schunk was convicted of misdemeanor harassment and criminal mischief for his involvement in a domestic incident with his former girlfriend in her Halfmoon home two years ago. Saratoga County DA James Murphy alleged Schunk had crashed through a locked bathroom door and "pounced on" the woman. Said Murphy: "I don't think he should be a police officer." [Saratogian] [WNYT] [TU]

The man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend in a Colonie motel last August has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder (map). [TU]

The strange and tragic life of Adam Croote now includes a guilty plea for raping and trying to murder a 10-year-old he was babysitting in Berne last summer. [WNYT]

Police say the man accused of robbing a Key Bank in Schenectady last week hid the money in his rectum. [Daily Gazette]

The new state tax cap is actually a cap on the increase in a municipality or school district's tax levy -- not necessarily the amount that homeowners have to pay. [TU]

Green Island mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan says her village will probably need to override the tax cap. [Troy Record]

Roy McDonald has been endorsed by the state Independence Party. (He'd recently been losing endorsements because of his vote in favor of the Marriage Equality Act.) McDonald is facing a possible primary matchup with Republican Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin. [Saratogian] [Post-Star]

The state's centralized accounting system for tracking expenditures -- in development for 12 years -- aiming for an April 1 go-live date. [TU]

The state Attorney General's office says internet scams are the #1 consumer complaint. [TU]

Construction of the proposed second track between Albany and Schenectady that would alleviate a longtime bottleneck in the train system will be delayed until 2013. [Daily Gazette]

An Albany County legislator is pushing for a law that would ban pharmacies in the county from selling cigarettes. [TU]

The Albany County Sheriff's Office has, by its argument, only been able to find one person -- who's already collecting a pension -- to serve as narcotics inspector for the past 21 years. [TU]

The city of Schenectady will be sweeping residential neighborhoods over the next five months looking for code violations. [Daily Gazette]

Police dogs in training at the State Police facility in Cooperstown only get affection when they find what they their target. [TU]

Among the rumors circulating in Gloversville about why that area has one of the highest rates of poverty in the state: there are signs in the NYC subway that proclaim: "Come to Fulton County, where welfare benefits are the best in the state and the living is cheap." [Daily Gazette]

The first and only investigation by the Wilton town ethics board cleared a town board member of violating the town ethics code -- but said his behavior with a touring rock band was inappropriate. [Post-Star]

The Capital Region has become a center for lighting technology research and design. [TU]

The Albany city clerk's office sends condolences notes to dog owners when their pets die. [TU]

The UAlbany women's basketball team is headed for the NCAA tournament after winning the America East tournament. [YNN]

The Union College men's hockey team has advanced to the semi-finals of the ECAC tournament after winning its weekend series against RPI. [Union]

The Syracuse men's basketball team got a #1 seed in the East bracket of the NCAA tournament and will face UNC-Asheville in the first round. [Syracuse Post-Standard]