All Over Albany

DA's office not publicly disclosing results of alcohol test in Northway crash, Albany parking permits start in January, city shuts down burlesque show

The Saratoga County DA's office said Thursday afternoon it had received the blood alcohol test results for Dennis Drue -- the driver police say caused the fatal crash on the Northway last weekend -- and it's waiting on further tests for other substances before making a charging decision. It says it's "ethically prohibited from disclosing the percentage of alcohol by weight in Drue's blood." But "two people briefed on the investigation" tell the Times Union that the alcohol test reported a "very low" level of alcohol -- a level "a law enforcement source" tells WNYT is not high enough for an arrest. Says Drue's attorney to WNYT: "Every piece of evidence that I have right now doesn't just suggest, but confirms to me that Dennis Drue did not commit a criminal act." Said Saratoga County DA Jim Murphy to YNN on Wednesday: ""We can't charge based on how we individually feel or might perceive these events. We have to charge based on facts, circumstances and proof." [Saratoga County DA] [TU] [WNYT] [YNN]

More than a thousand people were at the funeral Thursday for Deanna Rivers, one of the teens killed in the crash. Matt Hardy, who was seriously injured, was released from the hospital on Thursday. [Saratogian] [Fox23]

The funeral for Tonette Thomas, who killed in the Myrtle Ave triple stabbing, was Thursday morning. Said Thomas' mother of what she'd miss about her daughter: "Her smile, her smile. The joy that we were blessed to have her in our lives." [YNN] [News10]

The body of Anthony Denier, the Marine from Mechanicville who was killed in Afghanistan last weekend, is scheduled to be flown to ALB Monday morning and a motorcade will escort it from there to Mechanicville. Denier's funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, after which he'll be buried at Saratoga National Cemetery. [TU] [AP/Troy Record]

Albany's city clerk says the residential parking permit system will take effect January 15. [News10]

The NYCLU has filed sued against New York State over what it argues is "arbitrary and unjustified use" of solitary confinement in state prisons. The state commissioner of corrections said this past October of the practice: "The use of disciplinary segregation is important to the overall well-being of any of our prisons." [NYCLU] [NYT]

New York is one of the nation's most diverse states, but the all its statewide elected leaders -- and almost all of the planned state Senate ruling coalition -- are white. That's prompting criticism from minority groups. [NYT] [State of Politics]

Real talk from Bob Reilly to Phil Steck on life in the state legislature: Democrats in the state Senate will be "useless" because they're in the minority. [Daily Gazette]

The Poestenkill town board voted unanimously to forgive that $1400 bill charged to an Eagle Mills homeowner for water used while fighting a house fire. [Troy Record]

Ongoing drama at the Troy ballot fraud trial of Edward McDonough, this time with accusations of witness intimidation, and changed testimony. [TU]

Troy mayor Lou Rosamilia has reportedly told police chief John Tedesco to stop publicly criticizing the creation of the public safety commissioner position. [TU] [WNYT]

Speculation continues on Project Azalea, the reportedly massive high tech manufacturing project -- possibly chips, or some related technology -- that's said to be scouting locations, among them the Capital Region. The Times Union continues to float the idea that Foxconn -- which manufacturers the iPhone -- could possibly be the company. Other ongoing speculation, both in the TU and Business Review: Taiwan Semiconductor. [TU] [Biz Review]

SPAC says 2012 will be the eighth straight year it will finish without a financial loss. [Saratogian]

The city of Albany shutdown a burlesque show planned for the Lark Tavern this week after the head of the city's Albany's Division of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance decided it sounded like adult entertainment -- for which the tavern isn't zoned. [TU]

The owners of two downtown Saratoga Springs buildings -- each worth a little more than $1 million -- have swapped buildings, which allows them to avoid paying taxes on the transaction. [Saratogian]

The bells in the tower at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany will ring for the first time in five decades this weekend. [TU]