All Over Albany

Grand jury clears cops in Rivera shooting, Hevesi released, citizens share vision for Albany waterfront, State Police find Mrs. Santa

A grand jury cleared three schenectady police officers of wrong doing in the August 2011 shooting of Luis Rivera. Said Schenectady County DA Robert Carney: "They were justified in using deadly physically force, to defend themselves and others from what they perceived to be the use of deadly force against them." [TU] [YNN]

Former state comptroller Alan Hevesi is a free man today after spending the last 19 months in jail for accepting gifts and campaign donations from people trying to do business with the state pension fund. [YNN]

Yesterday in the ongoing Troy ballot fraud saga,. [TU]

Four men have been indicted in the November 2011 killing of an Albany man linked to the South End gang Original Gangsta Killas . [TU]

Police are looking for two men who robbed a Central Avenue gas station with a shotgun on Monday. [TU]

An off-duty Albany police officer arrested for DWI two years ago is asking the court to throw out surveillance video of him being coached by union officials to refuse an alcohol test, arguing the video violates state evesdropping laws. [TU]

The man convicted of looking up women's skirts with a recording device on his leg in a Colonie supermarket will be heading to prison for 2 to 4 years. [TU]

The Berkshire Spur on the NYS Thruway was closed yesterday due to a yogurt spill.[TU]

The "fiscal cliff" could cost Capital Region schools about $80,000 each
according to the New York School Boards Association.[TU]

In an effort to provide transparency and accountbility, state attorney general Eric Schneiderman's office has proposed a plan requiring some nonprofit groups that contribute to state campaigns to disclose the names of their donors. [TU]

NYS Education Department is considering offering a career skills credential for students with disabilities who might not otherwise graduate high school. [TU]

If it's approved by the Public Service Commission, National Grid customers could see a drop of about a 10 percent in electric rates in April.[TU]

The Mechanicville Marine who was killed earlier this month in Afghanistan was remembered as a hero and laid to rest at Saratoga National Cemetery on Tuesday. [TU]

Former state Senator Hiram Monserrate, who was expelled from the Senate after being convicted of misdemeanor assault for hitting his girlfriend will spend two years in jail for using taxpayer money to fund his campaign. [WNYT] [NYT]

Seven new stores have opened in the Clifton Park Center Mall in the last six months. [TU]

New York is one of seven Northeast states threatening to sue the Obama administration for violating the clean air act for ignoring methane emissions from oil and gas production. [TU]

State Senator Neil Breslin and the newly elected Democrats in the Senate say they want campaign finance reform to be the legislature's first priority. [WNYT]

Dean Skelos was unanimously reelected leader of the Senate Republican Conference on Tuesday. [WNYT]

The city of Saratoga Springs is considering firing a city clerk who went to the media with allegations of corruption in the Accounts Department. [Saratogian]

Demolition of the Winans-Crippen house in Saratoga has been approved but the building won't be torn down until next year. [Gazette]

Andrew Cuomo announced that more than 74,000 job openings are available on the state's "Jobs Express" website. [YNN]

Thieves made off with money and donations left for troops at a home in Colonie. [YNN]

The Salvation Army is short on toys. [Record]

A Rensselaear County Sheriff's Deputy was recogized for his off duty efforts to help revive a fellow passenger who became ill on a flight from Charlotte to Albany.[YNN]

Nobody is planning to tear down 787 anytime soon, but Albany residents met last night to discuss plans to open up the city's waterfront should that day every come. [TU]

State police found the woman who gave a trooper a card containing a $1,000 check. The money was returned and will now go to Stewart's Shops holiday charity drive. [TU]

If you've ever wanted to break the world's record for singing "Jingle Bells" while ringing jingle bells, you have a chance at noon at the TU Center. [TU]