All Over Albany

Legislature passes restrictions on teacher eval disclosure, Vanderhorst found guilty of manslaughter, alt plan for St. Patrick's floated, thieves apparently posing as city employees

On its last day of the session, the state legislature passed a bill limiting public disclosure of teacher evaluations. The bill restricts the disclosure of the evaluations to parents and guardians of students in a teacher's class. But the bill does not restrict those parents from then releasing the info to other people. Andrew Cuomo introduced the bill just this past Monday, and said it "strikes the right balance between protecting teacher privacy and a parent's right to know." A lobbying group for school boards said it was worried wide disclosure of the info would lead to "teacher shopping." Cuomo's last-minute move with the bill prompted grumbling in the legislature -- but not enough to stop the bill. [NYT] [AP/Troy Record] [TU] [Cuomo admin] [WNYT] [State of Politics]

If the legislature doesn't return for special sessions, it will have passed the fewest number of bills in almost a century. [NYPIRG's Bill Mahoney, via State of Politics]

Thursday marked the last day of regular session for local Assemblymen Ron Canestrari, Jack McEneny, and Bob Reilly -- they're all leaving office. [TU]

A jury found Jah-Lah Vanderhorst guilty of manslaughter, not murder, in the stabbing death of 17-year-old Tyler Rhodes in Albany's Hoffman Park last summer. The decision indicates the jury believed Vanderhorst intended to cause serious injury to Rhodes, but not death. Vanderhorst faces up to 25 years in prison. [Fox23] [TU] [YNN]

An anonymous "supervisor for an Albany-based bus company" says the type of harassment captured on video of a school bus monitor near Rochester "happens every day." [TU]

A Troy architect has floated a plan to repurpose the St. Patrick's site in Watervliet as a museum and upscale housing, instead of a Price Chopper. [TU]

The board of the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority has frozen the salaries of its employees. A board members says the org might also fight a federal cap on executive directors' salaries. [Saratogian] [TU]

The burned out -- and possibly contaminated -- former dry cleaner's building at Washington Ave and Ontario in Albany was finally knocked down after sitting empty for more than a decade (map). Cleanup of potentially toxic barrels in the basement will be covered by state money, according to Albany County exec Dan McCoy. [TU] [WNYT]

The city of Troy is moving toward paying the owner of the now-closed Cinema Art Theater on River Street $30k for ripping off the adult theater's marquee in 2006 (map. [TU]

The Honest Weight Food Co-op is asking the Albany IDA for $1.5 million in tax breaks for its planned new store. [TU]

Albany police say a 21-year-old man was shot while riding in a car in West Hill last night (map). APD says it responded after being notified that the man had walked into the Albany Med emergency department with two bullet wounds. APD says he was treated and released. [APD]

Schenectady police are trying to find the person who stabbed a 61-year-old man in the Central State neighborhood last night (map). [YNN]

A Greenfield man was convicted trying to kidnap a woman who had stopped for gas at a Stewart's there last fall (map). The man already had two prior felony convictions. [Saratogian] [TU]

The remarks allegedly exchanged between the president of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk board and the father of another school board member -- remarks that got that both charged with harassment -- reportedly were at a level of discourse more often seen among children on a playground. [TU]

Troy police say two men claiming to be city Department of Public Utilities employees stole a safe containing money from a man's house Wednesday (map of block). TPD says one man got inside the house claiming there was a water problem, then said he was calling a supervisor, and a second man showed up. [Troy Record] [TU]

Bethlehem police say a Selkirk man was arrested for allegedly having 60 marijuana plants growing at his basement (map). [TU]

Troy police are trying to identify -- and/or find -- the person at the wheel of a pickup truck that ran into a house this morning in South Troy (map). [YNN]

Albany International Airport is being recognized for its art displays. [TU]

The area's first "natural" cemetery is opening in Niskayuna. [TU]

Galway High School's graduating class has five sets of twins. [TU]

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APD: Shooting

Albany police are investigating the shooting of a 21 year old city resident that happened this morning on First Street.

Police responded to Albany Medical Center Hospital, just before 2:30 a.m., after hospital staff called stating that Olaijaide Chapman, of Albany, walked into the emergency room with two gunshot wounds to his back. Chapman was allegedly shot while riding as a passenger in a vehicle traveling east on First Street between Judson Street and Lexington Avenue.

He was treated at the hospital for his injuries and released.

There is no suspect description at this time and the investigation is still ongoing.