All Over Albany

Marchione appears to have won Republican primary over McDonald, other side in alleged Wilton road rage trial, Fuller Road re-opening, great pumpkins

It appears that Kathy Marchione has won the Republican line in the state Senate 43rd over Roy McDonald. A counting of absentee votes in Columbia and Saratoga counties -- the last absentees to be counted -- resulted in a 100something vote margin for Marchione (every media outlet seems to be reporting a different number) with 50 votes set aside for possible review (which might not happen because of the vote margin). McDonald's campaign manager has said earlier that McDonald would run in the general election regardless of the Republican primary outcome (he has the Independence line) -- but on Monday he said McDonald's "considering all available options at this time" and they'll have a decision about how they're going to proceed by the end of this week/beginning of next. (The Democratic candidate is Robin Andrews.) [TU] [Daily Gazette] [Saratogian] [Post-Star] [Post-Star] [State of Politics]

Marchione's challenge of McDonald was prompted in large party by his vote for the Marriage Equality Act. Stephen Saland -- a Republican state Senator from Poughkeepsie who helped write the religious protection clause of the act -- declared victory Monday after narrowly escaping a primary challenge for the Republican line in his district. Of the four Republican Senators who voted for the act, two have now won primary challenges (Saland, Grisanti), one lost (McDonald), and another didn't run for re-election (Alesi). [State of Politics] [NYT]

After the idea of the state contracting out the operations of NYRA and its race tracks (including the Saratoga Race Course) to a for-profit company while the racing org is under state control was leaked/floated/broken in the New York Post, state director of operations Howard Glaser said Monday all options are being looked at. Said Glaser on Fred Dicker's show: "One thing is clear: The functioning of NYRA is substandard." The Cuomo admin has yet to announce its appointees to the board that will oversee the state takeover of NYRA. [NY Post] [State of Politics] [Saratogian] [TU]

The federal HUD secretary was in town Monday for a panel discussion and meeting with the mayors of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy about foreclosures and strengthening the housing market. [Troy Record]

Home heating forecast for this winter: low natural gas prices, and high heating oil prices. [TU]

GlobalFoundries is getting half of the total allotment of reduced-price power in the latest round of ReCharge NY program. GloFo's allocation is said to have helped create 450 jobs, NY Power Authority. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Schenectady fire officials say it appears that smoking is the cause of the house fire that killed an elderly man this past weekend. [Daily Gazette]

A lawsuit filed against the city of Troy over the suspension of a Troy police officer (and police union president) during a 2007 internal investigation has cost the city more than $50,000. [TU]

The general election for the state Assembly 109th (to replace Jack McEneny) will be three way: Joe Sullivan has held onto the Conservative line after absentees were counted. The other two candidates: Pat Fahy (Democrat) and Ted Danz (Republican, Independence). [TU]

Charter schools have cut into the enrollment of Catholic schools in Albany, according to a not-yet-published study by a scholar at Albany Law. [TU]

The alleged stabber in the Wilton road rage trial told his side of the story yesterday -- Frank Soriano testified he didn't stab Jeffrey Streicher, but he "slashed" Streicher. Said Soriano of the situation: "I was scared to death, I was bleeding, I was weak, my eyes were closing, and I thought for sure that he was going to kill me." (Streicher testified last week that he felt like he was fighting for his life.) [Saratogian] [TU] [Saratogian]

An overflow crowd at the town board meeting in Coeymans appeared to oppose dissolving the town police force in favor of coverage by county sheriff's deputies. [WNYT] [TU]

There's a library budget vote in Troy today. [WNYT]

At issue: whether SCCC should be paying former regional chamber of commerce head Wally Altes $30,000 a year as networking consultant. [Daily Gazette]

Masjid As-Salam -- the mosque on Central Ave near Lake in Albany -- is expanding. [TU]

The section of Fuller Road just north of Washington Ave -- closed for weeks because of construction for the new roundabout/flyover -- is scheduled to open today. [YNN]

A 16-acre section of Niska Isle is for sale. [Daily Gazette]

Despite the weird weather, this is turning out to be a banner year for local pumpkin crops. [Daily Gazette]