All Over Albany

Soares office reportedly involved in Lopez harassment probe, Assembly/DA candidates square off in forums, strip club attorney says pole dancng is art and could become an olympic event

A number of candidate forums were held yesterday in the Capital Region:
+ Five of the candidates for the 110th Assembly district Five candidates for the 110th Assembly District took up a number of issues including fracking, jobs, health care and the tax cap. [TU] [Gazette]

+ The establishment of land banks to deal with vacant or tax foreclosed properties, the Albany Convention Center and hydrofracking were taken up by the candidates vying for the 108th Assembly District seat (there are two Democrats -- Carolyn McLaughlin and John McDonald -- for the 108th, not six as the article states). [Record]

+ Lee Kindlon and David Soares faced off in a debate in the Albany County DA race.[TU]

The AP is reporting that Albany County DA David Soares is joining a special prosecutor to help examine the sexual harassment case against Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez [AP/WNYT]

New York State Republicans are using the Vito Lopez scandal to leverage the upcoming election and push Sheldon Silver out of his speaker's post. [NYT]

A 20 year old Rensselaer County man is facing six charges, including aggravated vehicular homicide, for allegedly leaving the scene of a deadly accident in Stephentown without telling anyone that there had been a passenger in his car who had been thrown from the vehicle. [WNYT]

A Hoosick Falls woman was charged with driving while impaired and leaving the scene of an accident, and may have been texting when she allegedly hit a bicyclist along Route 22 on Monday. The cyclist died after suffering severe head trauma. [TU] [News 10]

A 21-year-old Schenectady man was arrested for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident after hitting a roller blader with his car in Hamilton Hill. [Fox 23]

Fay Willingham, daughter of former Albany County Legislator Wanda Willingham , has made a tentative agreement to repay more than $2,000 in child care benefits she is charged with stealing from the county, though she has not formally accepted a guilty plea in the case. [TU]

A 17 year old was stabbed on Wednesday afternoon in a brawl on the 400 block of Central Avenue. [APD Press Release]

A Westerlo teen was hospitalized after the ATV he was driving collided with a pick-up truck on his family's property off Route 32. [TU]

Albany police are investigating reports of gunshots at Broad Street and Third Avenue yesterday.[TU]

A level three sex offender in Rensselaer County is going back to jail after admitting to abusing a 15-year-old boy in November. [TU]

Rensselaer County Judge Robert Jacon was out of warnings for the Troy High School Senior who attacked two Catholic Central Students last year and has repeatedly violated parole. [TU]

"It's quite likely to become an Olympic sport" - explained the attorney for Nite Moves strip club about pole dancing, addressing the New York State Supreme Court. Nite Moves went before the court yesterday to argue that exotic dancing is an art form and, as such, should not be subject to taxes. The argument was filled with words like "nude" and "pole" and euphemisms like "things that happen in private rooms" [Fox 23] [TU] [NYT]

Governor Cuomo signed two new anti-smoking laws yesterday aimed at keeping cigarettes away from youths -- one banning smoking outside school entrances and another banning the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under 18.[News 10]

Lawmakers heard from business owners and truckers at a public hearing on the proposed Thruway toll hike. A Price Chopper rep claimed the 45% hike would increase the company's trucking costs by a quarter of a million dollars a year, and would be reflected in prices. The hearing was held by six legislators who were disappointed that thruway officials did not hold official hearings on the matter in an 80 mile radius of the Capital Region, even though the authrity is based in the region and the businest exchange is at exit 24. [YNN] [WNYT]

Senator Roy McDonald has obtained the endorsement of the NRA. [Saratogian]

Stewart's is seeking permission to tear down the old Citgo gas station across the street from the Saratoga Racecourse, but has no immediate plans to locate a shop there.[Gazette]

Saratoga County is looking to Portland as a long term strategic plan example. [Saratogian]

Chuck Shumer says budget cuts will not prevent New York Honor Guard forces from playing a live performance of taps at military funerals. [News 10]

More construction delays: Two northbound lanes of the Northway are closed today between Colonie and Clifton Park, causing delays as far as exit 6.[TU]

Area pharmacies are getting a jump on flu season by offering vaccine already.[TU]

Warren Buffett's sister, Doris Buffet, has donated $450,000 grant to the locally based Hannah's Hope Fund. The donation will help pay for a $900,000 clinical trial for a rare genetic disorder called Giant Axonal neuropathy. [YNN]

Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak will give a talk about innovation and entrepreneurship at Tech Valley High School before visiting Global Foundries today.[WNYT]

Proctors and Schenctady's Bow Tie Cinemas will host the Theatre Historical Society of America's Annual Conclave - then nations largest meeting of theater historians and archivists. [Gazette]

A Queensbury artist's latest project includes planting annual and perennial flowers along bike paths from Warren County to New York City. [Saratogian]

A 6 week old kitten survived a 100 mile ride through the Adirondacks wedged behind the bumper of a Jeep.
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APD Press Release -- Central Ave stabbing

Albany police are investigating the stabbing of a 17 year old Second Street resident that happened this afternoon on Central Avenue.

Just after 3:00 p.m., officers on patrol observed a large group fighting in the street on the 400 block of Central Avenue. While investigating, officers learned that a 17 year old male had sustained a single stab wound to his left side.

He was treated at the scene by medical personnel and taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The investigation is still ongoing.