All Over Albany

Missing teen's body found in the Hudson, bear killed on UAlbany campus, driver who smashed car into New World sentenced, in the nude at SPAC

The body of Jesse Cale, the Schuylerville High School student who disappeared during a camping trip last week, has been found in the Hudson River near Greenwich. A friend said he spotted the body yesterday. Police aren't sure what happened to the teen, who disappeared after going to look for firewood. His body will be autopsied. His family said the teen had a history of seizures. [TU] [Saratogian] [Post-Star] [YNN] [Fox23]

The DEC says it killed a bear on the UAlbany uptown campus Thursday. It says it's the same bear that was captured in south Albany a few weeks back. The bear had also had to be removed from Coeymans last week and was transported to Delaware County. It traveled 90 miles from the relocation spot to the UAlbany campus. DEC says the bear had become a public risk because it wouldn't stay away from urban areas. [YNN] [News10] [AOA] [Saratogian] [WNYT] [Fox23]

DEC says the bear captured in North Greenbush this week has been relocated. [YNN]

Martin Kimber, the retired pharamcist accused of spreading mercury around Albany Med, has been indicted by a federal grand jury. Two of the counts against Kimber involve a law that prohibits "possessing, stockpiling, or using a toxic chemical as a weapon." Kimber allegedly released mercury at the hospital on four occasions since 2011. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [Troy Record]

The Wateford man convicted of raping his former girlfriend in order to infect her with HIV has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The woman doesn't know yet whether she's been infected -- and in a statement read in court, described the torture of not knowing. [Daily Gazette] [TU] [Saratogian]

The Cuomo admin says the state will end the fingerprinting requirement for all food stamp applicants. "We shouldn't treat the poor or the hungry as criminals, and that's what we've been doing," said Andrew Cuomo. New York City had been the only part of the state requiring all applicants to be fingerprinted, using it as an anti-fraud tactic. [Cuomo admin] [TU] [NYT]

A federal inspector general has concluded that the feds overpaid New York State for the care of people with developmental disability by $700 million in 2009 -- though the payments were approved by federal regulators. [NYT]

Eric Weller, a former Skidmore dean, has been chosen as the new chair of the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority board. The board of the recently scandal-plagued agency also voted to freeze salaries at the authority, reportedly at the suggestion of exec director Ed Spychalski. Said Weller of Spychalski's $152k salary, which has doubled over the past six years: "He's one of the most qualified executive directors you can find." [TU] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette]

The guy who smashed his car into New World Bistro Bar in Albany last summer has been sentenced to at 2-6 years in prison. Police say Deshawn Currie had been trying hit a man with his car following a fight over a woman -- the car target pleaded guilty to stalking the woman earlier this year. [Fox23] [YNN] [Daily Gazette]

Police in Albany and Schenectady are warning of a scam in which men are posing as city employees in order to get access to people's homes and rob them. [APD] [TU]

A person drove a car into a Stewart's in Schenectady<,/a> after reportedly mistaking the gas for the brake. [Fox23]

With grievance day approaching, the city of Schenectady already has more than 100 cases assessment disputes in state Supreme Court. [TU]

The state has approved the city of Schenectady's bid for a land bank. [Cuomo admin] [Daily Gazette]

One of the problems with a city of Schenectady pump station that needs hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of work: no one seems to be sure what it does, exactly. [Daily Gazette]

The plans for the proposed Hoosick Street McDonald's in Troy continue to evolve (map). [Troy Record]

Albany Med says it recently treated a girl with a rare case of tick-induced paralysis. There were only 50 cases of the condition in the US between 1946 and 2006. [Albany Med] [TU]

Volunteers have helped repair thousands of dollars in damage to monuments at the Mechanicville cemetery vandalized by kids earlier this year. [Daily Gazette]

Volunteers from the Free School in Albany organized to help find a home for two women and two children left homeless by the Swan Street fire. [TU]

A dance performance at SPAC during this year's Saratoga Arts Fest will include dancers in the nude. [Daily Gazette]

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APD: Burglary Scam

Albany police are investigating a scam in which the suspects target the elderly and claim to be employees of the water department or fire department.

Police responded to a home today, around 12:30 p.m., after the victim called stating that two men came to her home claiming to work for the water department. She states she let the men inside and they began to walk her around her home checking faucets. She states that during the time they were in the house, one of the men then stole $1,400 from a room.

Anyone with information or similar incidents are asked to call the Albany Police at 438-4000.

Albany police would like to remind residents of the following safety tips regarding burglary scams:

+ Do not allow uninvited repair workers into your home, especially if they want to fix something that you have not noticed is a problem.

+ If someone claims to be at your home for an inspection, ask for identification and contact their company prior to allowing them into your home.

+ Keep doors locked when possible to prevent anyone from entering your home while you are outside the house.

+ Call 911 immediately if someone attempts to enter your home or you suspect someone is attempting a burglary scam.

+ Watch for people offering services in your community and make sure to write down a description of the individuals and their vehicle, including a license plate number, if possible.

+ Always research companies before hiring to ensure that they are legitimate firms with a good reputations.