All Over Albany

Guilty plea in house explosion that killed six, police looking for every angle of stripper story, sewage overflow plan criticized, Starlite Theatre torn down

Steven McComsey pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the 2011 home explosion in Salem that killed six people. He's expected to be sentenced to 1-3 years in prison. In an unusual twist, McComsey didn't actually admit he committed the crime to which he pleaded guilty as part of his plea. "I'm satisfied with the conviction," said the Washington County DA, explaining it was a difficult case because of a lack of evidence.[TU] [Saratogian] [Post-Star] [Fox23] [WNYT]

A jury found Tina Karuzas guilty of fatally stabbing a a Schenectady neighbor in a fight over loud music last December. [TU]

An EPA consultant says the sewage overflow plan submitted by a group of Capital Region municipalities is flawed because it wouldn't reduce the number of sewage overflows into the Hudson River. Short background: when it rains a lot, the combined (storm water and raw sewage) sewer systems in many municipalities along the Hudson overflow -- into the river. [TU]

As part of Barack Obama's tour of parts of the NYC area hit hard by Sandy, White House officials were vague about Andrew Cuomo's request for $30 billion in recovery aid. [NYT]

The South Glens Falls police chief tells the Times Union his department is planning to interview every one of the people at the stripper teen birthday party -- which reportedly included 80 people. Unintentionally odd quote from the Saratoga County DA: "In these circumstances, we are not looking at Tops in Bottoms." (The name of the company for which the strippers reportedly worked.) By the way: the Post-Star says it passed on publishing the click-through crack party pics because they were "too risque." [TU] [Daily Gazette] [Post-Star]

Former state comptroller Alan Hevesi was paroled after serving 19 months of a four year sentence for his role in a pay-for-play scandal involving the state pension fund. [State of Politics] [NYT]

"Sources with knowledge of the investigation who were not authorized to speak on the record" identified the three Saratoga Springs police officers being investigated after they were accused being part of a fight at a sports bar in downtown Saratoga early Monday morning. [Saratogian]

The union that represents Albany police officers has approved a contract that will end the free health care for life benefit officers currently get after eight years of service. [TU]

The Bethlehem town board approved a town budget that includes an 8 percent tax increase. [TU]

After the city decided to discontinue use of the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system, the Troy city council has voted to try the sell the system. (We can only hope they list it on Craigslist.) [TU]

An Albany County assistant district attorney is leaving the DA's office after a conflict of interest complaint. [TU]

Hugh Farley says he'll start collecting his public pension in January, so it will be available to his wife should he die while in office. (He'll be 80 this month. And the term starting this January will be his 18th in the state Senate.) [Gannett Albany Watch]

St. Peter's Health Partners announced a 13-year, $150 million plan to reconfigure its two hospitals in Troy, Samaritan and St. Mary's. [Troy Record]

A member of the East Greenbush sports booster club has been arrested after being accused of diverting almost $4k of the club's money to his own account. [Troy Record]

Headline of the day: "Man who urinated on dog in burglary case is sentenced." [TU]

The new Batchellerville Bridge has opened a year ahead of schedule (map). One of the reasons it was completed early: last year's mild winter. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

The Colonie landfill will be taking debris from Sandy cleanup downstate -- apparently there are barges of the stuff waiting in the Port of Albany. [TU]

CDTA has started charging for special event parking at the Saratoga Springs train station. [Daily Gazette]

Hundreds of people showed up for an all day Twilight movie marathon Thursday at Colonie Center. [Daily Gazette]

Demolition of the Starlite Theater in Latham started Thursday. [Fox23]