All Over Albany

Teen shot in Troy dies, Rensselaer County won't pay McDonough's legal bills, LoPorto's attorney files for dismissal, suspicious package causes evacuation at SCCC, redistricting expert to review new legislative lines, bluesman Ernie Williams has died

The Troy teen who was shot in the head in the North Central neighborhood on Tuesday night has died. Phillip McMillan was the victim of a drive-by shooting. A dark-colord Chevy Impala connected with the shooting was discovered a few blocks away after it struck at least two parked cars. Phillip McMillian was recently released from jail and family members say he was trying to get his life back together. [YNN] [Record] [TU] [WNYT]

A Troy man was robbed and shot in the leg in Arbor Hill Tuesday night. The assailant got away with a gold necklace and earring, and fired three shots as he ran away from the scene.[TU]

Rensselaer County won't be paying Elections Commissioner Edward McDonough's legal bills incurred in his ballot fraud trial. The county is also looking into whether McDonough should be paid compensated for time he spent in trial. Meanwhile co-defendent Michael LoPorto's attorney filed yesterday to have charges against his client dismissed based on the fact that a mistrial was declared after eight days of deliberation. [TU] [Record]

Kevin McGrath, the Troy City Councilman who received immunity from prosecution in exchange for testimony in the Rensselaer County ballot fraud trial says he won't step down from his office. [TU]

The three-judge panel overseeing legislative redistricting has ordered the state to pay for a redistricting expert to review the newly drawn lines and make sure no further action is necessary. [Via State of Politics]

A report commissioned by Governor Cuomo that critiques the six state agencies overseeing residential programs for disabled and mentally ill New Yorkers highlights a a lack of oversight and disagreements between agencies over what constitutes abuse. Mental health advocates and lawmakers, including Senator Roy McDonald, are frustrated that the report, which was prepared in October, has not yet been released to the public.[NYT]

Andrew Cuomo has still not released records from his term as attorney General to the state archives, the repository for most records from that office. [TU]

Schenectady County Community College evacuated a building Wednesday after suspicious looking envelope was discovered inside a building that houses classrooms, culinary labs and the Casola Dining Room. The building was shut down for three hours and it's not clear what was suspicious about the envelope or if there was anything inside. [TU] [News 10]

Two Avrill park schools went into lockdown for about half an hour yesterday after reports of an armed person was sighted in the vicinity of the schools. [CBS6]

Now that it has passed in the Senate, Chuck Shumer is pushing for the House to pass a transportation bill that would bring $588.5 million to repair roads and bridges in Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. [TU]

The man convicted of causing a fatal crash while driving a stolen SUV on North Manning Bouldevard in Albany in October will serve seven and a half to 15 years in prison.[YNN]

Albany County officials are disputing New York States projections that the proposed county nursing home could lose up to $26.2 million a year, claiming state officials aren't considering other revenue generating programs like adult day care and leasing private doctors' offices. [TU]

One of the candidates in the hotly contested battle for the Schenectady City Council seat vacated by now Mayor Gary McCarthy, has dropped out of the race. John Mootooveren announced on his Facebook page, Wednesday that he will pull out of a primary with Marion Porterfield. [TU]

A 15 apartment workforce affordable housing building opened yesterday in Saratoga Springs. The apartments are for working singles or families who make a little too much to qualify for low income housing and will be priced between $650 and $1,000 per month.[Saratogian] [WNYT]

Saratoga Springs schools will lose 15 teachers, get larger classes and fewer courses under the proposed $109.5 million school budget.
Nearly 90 jobs are expected to be cut in the Niskayuna Central School District under a plan to close its $4.1 million budget gap.
To meet the 2 percent tax cap, Troy City Schools may need to lay off 42 employees -- 32 of them teachers. School superintendent Brian Howard describes says the district is in dire financial straits. [Saratogian] [Gazette] [TU]

Albany police are testing a new information sharing program in the Helderberg neighborhood. [Fox 23]

A resident of Troy's Washington Park neighborhood is heading up an effort to cut down on the ferrel cat population in the city by capturing the cats and bring them to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society to be spayed or neutered, then returning them to Troy. [TU]

A mattress store will replace the old Borders Bookstore in Clifton Park. [Gazette]

Before you decide to rename a bridge, you may want to consider the red tape involved. [Saratogian]

Well known Capital Region bluesman Ernie Williams died yesterday at the age of 87.[TU]

The Saratoga Springs man who originated a role in Leonard Berstein's On The Town and appeared in the Broadway debut of Noel Coward's Present Laughter, has also passed away.[TU]

A lottery pool made up of 25 employees of a Queensbury business won $250,00 on a MegaBall ticket.[Post Star]