All Over Albany

Proposed Albany County budget includes 8.9 percent tax hike, rescued Columbia County hiker may face criminal charge, downtown Albany residential project proposed -- again

Albany County's proposed budget would raise property taxes by 8.9 percent and calls for privatizing the county nursing home. The plan would mean a $60 tax hike on a home assessed at $200,000. County Executive Dan McCoy says the tax increase is necessary to cover the cost of unfunded mandates. [TU] [WNYT] [YNN] [News 10]

The city of Cohoes's proposed budget includes a property tax increase.[Record]

In an effort to bring down a proposed 4.1 percent tax increase, the Schenectady City Council is considering cutting positions, overtime and jobs from the city's police department -including the job of assistant chief. [YNN]

The hiker rescued from Columbia County yesterday may face criminal charges and be forced to pay for the air and ground search, after it was revealed that he may have intentionally stayed in the woods. [WNYT]

David Soares argues that since a disciplinary letter he received in May was confidential under state law, he didn't think it was necessary for him to disclose the letter to defendants in the Florida steroids case who were suing him -- but this week a federal judge in Florida sanctioned Soares for failing to disclose the letter. [TU]

Congressman Chris Gibson and challenger Julian Schreibman took on fracking, Medicare and nuclear power in the Hudson Valley yesterday at a debate in Lake Katrine. [Record]

Schenectady mayor Gary McCarthy says he won't hire a police chief that lives outside the city. [Gazette]

Colonie police are looking for two suspects they believe have been passing counterfeit bills in the area. [Press Release (Release posted below)]

A Troy man charged with murdering a rap artist on 2nd Street in the city last March is considering a manslaughter plea.[WNYT]

After a two year hold, there's a new proposal for the former Capital Grand Condo project on Broadway in Albany -- the plan has changed from renovating the old warehouse, to replacing it with a new building. [TU]

Dr. Robert Lefkowitz, winner of the 2007 Albany Prize from Albany Medical Center, has won a Nobel Prize in chemistry. [TU]

National Grid crews are responding to an underground transformer fire in Glens Falls. [Fox 23]

New York's state parks are working on $89 million in capital improvements, but the parks system says it is a fraction of what they need to make necessary repairs. [NYT]

Schenectady's wave of foreclosures led to a fence being removed from the Vale neighborhood, which has led to a rise in prostitution in the area. [Gazette]

The newly approved interim superintendent of the Ravena Coeymans Selkirk School District formerly served as a Voorheesville school superintendent, where a state audit accused him of wracking up $100,000 in questionable expenses, including $350 at a strip club. [WNYT]

A second case of MRSA has been confirmed in the Shenendahowa Central School district. The first case was at Gowana Middle School and the newest confirmed case comes from the high school. [Saratogian]

According to the CDC, the fungal meningitis outbreak linked to contaminated steroid injections has not affected anyone in the Capital Region or surrounding areas. [Fox 23]

Dissolving the village of Hoosick Falls could save as much as $623,000. [Record]

Walmart is planning to expand its Brunswick store instead of building a supercenter in the town. [TU]

State agencies across New York are now equipped and required to provide interpretation for Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Italian, Korean and Haitian Creole. [News 10]

Three private companies have submitted proposals to take over operations of the never-used Saratoga County landfill in Northumberland. [Saratogian]

Saratoga County's mental health clinic will move from its longtime home in Saratoga Hospital to a former South Broadway car dealership building. [Saratogian]

The Wandering Dago, the Schenectady food truck, is involved in a dispute with Infamous Graphics over the wrapper on its truck. [TU]

The manager of the Times Union Center has joined the call to legalize mixed martial arts in NY State. [Capitol Confidential]

A disabled veteran with multiple sclerosis has spent 20 years and garnered a dozen parking tickets to protest the lack of access for the disabled to a Warren County camping area.[WNYT]

One of the oldest white oak trees in the Northeast, estimated at more than 500 years old was damaged in tropical storm Irene, and the Landis Arboretum is trying to raise money for the equipment needed to save it. [TU]

If you're hankering for a camel, armadillo, python or kangaroo burger, here's where to go.[TU]

Students are learning about Lake George on a floating classroom. [YNN]

The leaves in the Adirondacks and Catskills are expected to reach peak this weekend. [News 10]

_______________________________________________________________
Press Release:
Colonie counterfeit currency

Colonie PD investigating numerous incidents involving counterfeit US Currency - attempt to identify suspects in attached surveillance photos

The Colonie Police Department is currently investigating numerous incidents involving the passing of counterfeit US currency. Over the last three (3) weeks there have been eight (8) incidents involving counterfeit twenties (20's) and four (4) incidents of counterfeit one hundreds (100's). The counterfeit twenty dollar bills are complete counterfeits that have been illegally printed with repeating serial #'s and the one hundred dollar bills are five dollar bills that have been bleached and reprinted over with one hundred dollar information. The passing of the counterfeit 20's and the passing of the counterfeit 100's do not appear to be related. This investigation is being aided by the United States Secret Service.

The locations the bills have been passed are:

Counterfeit 20's - Dunkin Donuts 667 and 688 Loudon Road, Price Chopper Loudon Road, Burger King Loudon Road, Wendy's Loudon Road, Target Northway Mall, and Five Below and Party City in Latham Farms. Total $540.00.

Counterfeit 100's - Burger King Central Avenue, Walgreens Central Avenue, Stewarts Sand Creek Road, and CVS Sand Creek Road. Total $500.00.

The suspects in the passing of the counterfeit 20's are described as: tall black male, baseball cap, black jacket, dark shirt and pants and white female long dark hair and black blouse. They are driving a red four door sedan with a sunroof. Surveillance photos are attached to the email with this release or are available upon request.

The suspects in the passing of the counterfeit 100's are described as: black male, blue jean jacket and long sideburns and a black female, heavy set, hair in a bun, black sweater and blue jeans. Surveillance photos are attached to the email with this release or are available upon request.

Anyone with information about these crimes or the identity of the suspects is urged to contact the Colonie Police Department at 783-2744.