All Over Albany

Severe storms miss Capital Region, Guilderland bank robbed again, suspect allegedly flees traffic stop and jumps in river, healing with horses

The severe thunderstorms forecasted for Thursday passed to the south of the Capital Region -- this area only got about 1/10 of an inch of rain (and some ominous cloud formations). Parts of the Southern Tier were not so lucky. A tornado touched down in Elmira, accompanied by heavy rain, causing widespread damage. The Binghamton area also suffered significant storm-related damage, with three unconfirmed reports of tornadoes. As of last night, about 97,000 utility customers statewide were without power because of storm damage. [TU] [NWS] [Albany Weather Examiner Facebook] [Elmira Star Gazette] [Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin]

Quinnipiac poll: 80 percent of respondents oppose increasing the pay for New York State legislators. Both Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos say the issue hasn't been discussed. [Q Poll] [TU]

"People with knowledge of the matter" says Schenectady mayor Gary McCarthy has talked with Schenectady County sheriff Dominic Dagostino about taking on the role of city police chief. Current police chief Mark Chaires says he intends to retire before the end of the year. [TU] [TU]

The attorney for Annie George, accused by the feds of keeping an illegal immigrant under arduous working conditions for little pay at the Llenroc mansion in Rexford, says George didn't know about the woman's immigration status nor did she know how much was being paid. [Daily Gazette]

The retrial has started for three men accused of being involved with the kidnapping and killing of an alleged drug dealer at a pot house in Albany's New Scotland neighborhood -- prosecutors allege the body was dumped in a sewer in West Hill; it's still missing. [TU]

Guilderland police say they arrested a man for allegedly robbing the Bank of America on Western Ave Thursday. It's the second time that bank has been robbed in the past two weeks. [Fox23] [YNN]

Police are searching the Mohawk River after a suspect from a traffic stop in Glenville on Thursday allegedly took off and jumped in the river. [Fox23]

East Greenbush police say they arrested a man for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit credit card. [Troy Record]

The Bethlehem teen hit by a tractor trailer after allegedly failing to stop at an intersection while riding his bike at night last week was coming home from an allegedly large party involving underage drinking, according to court docs filed in the case against a 17-year-old and 21-year-old facing charges related to the party. [TU]

Classy: case centers on the nature of spit. [TU]

The Schenectady city council is considering a ban on smoking everywhere in city parks. [Daily Gazette]

Now that a location has been settled on for Troy's city hall, there's squabbling over how it should be configured. [Troy Record]

Michael LoPorto is on the ballot for a Democratic primary for a Troy City Council seat. A jury acquitted LoPorto in the Troy ballot fraud case last week. [TU] [TU]

Regal Cinemas says it's instituting "stricter controls" over customers wearing costumes following the mass shooting in Colorado. Regal operates a handful of movie theaters in the Capital Region, including the multiplexes at Crossgates and Colonie Center. [TU]

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals says it's spending as much as $75 million to expand its plant in East Greenbush, and could add as many as 130 jobs. [TU]

The until-recently dry summer has prompted the first-ever restriction on the draft of cargo ships headed up the Hudson River (draft is the distance from the waterline to the bottom of a ship's hull). [TU]

The owner of part of the land occupied by the Wilton Mall is fighting its property tax assessment. [Saratogian]

Some sort of supermarket -- new to this area -- is apparently going into Mansion Square plaza in Niskayuna. [TU]

Troy's first restaurant week will start September 17. [Troy Record]

Marylou and her husband are again funding appreciation events for backstretch workers at The Track. [Saratogian]

A program called Saratoga War Horse is trying to help veterans manage trauma stress by setting up interactions with retired race horses. [TU]