All Over Albany

Albany council approves parking permits, another twist in Troy ballot fraud case, valuable items robbed from church, Cohoes toddlers apparently have problems staying clothed and at home

Yep, today is the last day to file your 2011 taxes.

The Albany Common Council approved the legislation creating a residential parking permit system near the Empire State Plaza in a 14-O vote. There was plenty of discussion before the vote, though, with arguments that the $25 fee for a permit was either too low or too high. The council must still approve parking spot designations, which could happen in May, with possible implementation of the system in the fall. [@RichardConti2] [TU] [WTEN]

The Albany Common Council also passed an ordinance banning hydrofracking in the city. [YNN]

The official high temp Monday: 91. That's a new record for the date (old record: 89 in 2002) -- and 32 degrees above than the normal high. The rest of the week is forecasted to be warmer than usual, but by only a few degrees (and then cool and rainy for the weekend). [NWS] [NWS]

Edward McDonough and Michael LoPorto are alleging that one of the documents used against them in the Troy ballot fraud trial (the one that ended in a hung jury) was forged -- have a handwriting expert to testify so. Trey Smith, the special prosecutor, says the document was signed in his presence. (If it was signed during the grand jury testimony, the transcript of the proceeding should note it.) [Troy Record] [TU]

The head of the Rensselaer County Democratic Party has asked Troy councilman Kevin McGrath to resign because of his role in the alleged ballot fraud situation and an earlier drug conviction. McGrath says he's not leaving. [TU] [Troy Record]

The Rosamilia administration is considering five potential spots for the next Troy city hall -- and is in the "final stages" of deciding. [Troy Record]

Albany County exec Dan McCoy says a review he ordered uncovered a $1 million credit the county was owed by the pharmacy benefit management company that handles county employee and retiree benefits. An admin spokeswoman says the problem stemmed from a contract that wasn't finalized under the Breslin admin. [McCoy admin] [TU]

The Schenectady city council is looking through the couch cushions for spare change and thinking about mid-year budget cuts. [TU]

The city of Schenectady has started to more strictly enforce its secondhand dealers law and issued a handful of citations. The sweep was prompted by Daily Gazette reporting that found many stores weren't complying with the rules that require sellers of secondhand goods to report check IDs and report their purchases (the law is intended to make it hard to move stolen items). [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Troy police say they're investigating a shooting near 8th Street and Hoosick Street Monday night (map). They say an 18-year-old was shot in the arm and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. [WTEN] [YNN]

Troy police say they "anticipate an arrest" in the suspicious apartment fire Saturday in North Central. [Troy Record]

St. John's Episcopal Church in Troy says nine "priceless" sterling silver religious service items were stolen from the church Friday. Troy police say whoever took the items was able to get around a security system in place. [YNN] [Fox23]

Charges have been filed against the father of the toddler found wandering alone, naked, a quarter mile from her house last week. Reportedly there have been three of these types of incidents recently in the city. [WTEN] [Fox23]

A section of New Scotland Road west of the Thruway in Albany was closed Monday morning after Albany police responded to a call that a man allegedly threatened someone with a shotgun (map). [Fox23] [APD]

State Police say the body found in the Mohawk near Waterford was that of a Saratoga Springs woman missing since October. Her death has been ruled a suicide. A search in October didn't turn anything up after her car was found near the river in Halfmoon. State Police say the woman was married to a State Police captain and had suffered major medical problems last year. [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette] [TU] [YNN]

Apparently one guy has been feeding the local media key information about the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority story. [Saratogian]

Farms in the region are concerned about proposed federal rules that would prevent kids under 16 from participating in a lot of different types of work on family farms. [Saratogian]

The low-snow winter and mostly dry spring have led to historically low water levels in regional lakes and rivers. [TU]

An org is pushing for a "Complete Streets" proposal in Saratoga Springs. [Saratogian]

In Glenville, grumbling over the rumbling on Route 5. [Daily Gazette]

The city of Albany is deploying anti-grafitti paint. [Fox23]

A Skidmore music professor has been playing music with a man with autism for almost a decade as part of a informal music therapy. [Saratogian]
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APD: Shotgun Incident on Paddock Road

Albany police are investigating a dispute this afternoon on Paddock Road where a man is alleged to have had a shotgun.

Police responded to 26 Paddock Road around 10:30 a.m. after the victim called stating that he was having a dispute with a person he knows. He told police that during their argument, the man pointed a shotgun at him and went back inside the house.

Police made contact with the suspect shortly after their arrival and he was ordered to come outside.

A unloaded shotgun was located inside the house and seized by officers.

At this point the victim is unwilling to cooperate with the police, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is still ongoing.