All Over Albany

Waiting on Sandy -- wind may be the biggest problem, shootings in Schenectady and Albany, app store planned for state, cows with good genes

The wind has already picked up, and rain from Hurricane Sandy is expected to start in the Capital Region sometime this afternoon. Forecasts are projecting about an inch of rain in the Albany area -- with more in the higher elevations, including the Catskills. There is a flood watch in effect from noon until late Tuesday night. [NWS] [NWS]

The biggest problem here may end up being the wind. There's a high wind warning in effect until late Tuesday morning. Winds of 30-40 mph are predicted, with some gusts possibly as strong as 75 mph across higher elevations. "The winds are easily the most problematic part of this storm for our area," an NWS meteorologist tells the TU. With all that wind, there's a good chance of power outages. "It's not going to be pretty," says another NWS meteorologist to the Daily Gazette. [NWS] [TU] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette]

Andrew Cuomo, yesterday in Cohoes: "This is going to be a serious situation, all the forecasts say that. Exactly how bad we don't know, but we know there's going to be a lot of rain and a lot of very very high winds, especially across Upstate New York." [YNN]

State officials say they've been lowering water levels in the Erie Canal system, as well as reservoirs in Schoharie County, in order to free up room for rainfall. [Troy Record] [Daily Gazette]

The federal government has already declared New York State a disaster area (this allows the state to take advantage of various resources). The National Guard has mobilized. Local municipalities around the region are declaring states of emergency and readying disaster emergency plans. [Cuomo admin] [Cuomo admin] [Troy Record]

There are a bunch of school closings, and early dismissals, around the area. The Albany city school district cancelled classes today. [Saratogian] [ASD]

Airlines are canceling flights at ALB. Amtrak has suspended the Empire Service, Northeast Corridor service, and many other routes throughout the Northeast. [YNN] [Amtrak]

New York City is bracing for Sandy, especially what's expected to be a strong storm surge -- it suspended public transportation service Sunday night. NYSE and Nasdaq shut down today because of the storm. [NYT] [Forbes]

Schenectady police say a man was fatally shot early Saturday morning outside a bar in Hamilton Hill (map). SPD says the man was also shot in 2011 as a bystander to an incident outside a different bar. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Albany police say they're investigating a shooting in the South End Friday night (block map). APD says a 19-year-old Latham resident was taken to Albany Med where he was in stable, but critical, condition. [APD]

Schenectady police say they've arrested a man accused of a stabbing early Sunday morning after a party in the Vale neighborhood (map). [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Schenectady police say a man reported being carjacked Saturday evening in Hamilton Hill (map). SPD says the man reported that three men, one of them with a gun, told him to get out of his car. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

A Schenectady woman has been charged with a handful of misdemeanors after Schenectady police say she forced her teen son to fight another boy in the street in Mont Pleasant (map). [TU]

The mother of Luis Rivera, shot to death by Schenectady police almost a year and a half ago, says she's frustrated the Schenectady County DA's office has still not taken the case to a grand jury for review. [TU]

Troy police say a police car and civilian car collided Saturday evening in North Central as the police car was responding to a call with its lights and siren on (map). [TU]

Though New York is not in doubt for the presidential race, many Congressional races in state are close. [TU]

The Cuomo admin is reportedly planning a system in which people could conduct most business with the state online -- among the plans: an "app store" for the state. [NY Post]

As Metroplex has helped transform downtown Schenectady, residents of other neighborhoods in the city are asking when it's their turn for help. [Daily Gazette]

Lead of the day, by Kathleen Moore in the Daily Gazette: "City [of Schenectady] workers have stopped regularly crashing into parked cars, buildings, signs and other fixed objects." [Daily Gazette]

The city of Troy is aiming to shift River Street in North Central from residential toward commercial development. [Troy Record]

Residents from two of the three zones in the not-yet-started Albany residential parking permit system started applying for permits this past Saturday. [TU]

Bids for turning the Black Bridge in Cohoes into a bike/walk path came in much higher than officials expected. [TU]

The head coach of the Tamarac boys varsity soccer team was fired Friday ahead of its match with Ichabod Crane after the school says the coach made disparaging comments on Facebook against Mexican players on IC's team. [Fox23]

A Saratoga County dairy farm has become known its cow genetics -- embryos from the farm are shipped all over the world. [TU]

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APD: Shooting

Albany police are investigating the shooting of a 19 year old Latham resident that occurred last night on Third Avenue.

At approximately 7:45 p.m. officers responded to the 100 block of Third Avenue for a report of a shooting. When they arrived they located the victim with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

He was treated at the scene by firefighters and taken Albany Medical Center Hospital. He is currently listed in stable but critical condition.

The investigation is ongoing.