All Over Albany

Siena poll: New Yorkers approve of gun control law, Marchione starts online petition to repeal gun control law, Senate 46th could be coming to an end

A new Siena poll reports that New Yorkers support a ban assault weapons 73-26. And they continue to support Andrew Cuomo -- his favorability rating was 71 percent. [Siena SRI]

The speedy passage of New York's new gun legislation has brought criticism of the use of the "message of necessity," the process by which a three day "aging" period can be waived before a vote on a proposed law. [TU]

State Senator Kathy Marchione has started an online petition to repeal the new gun control legislation. In less than one day the petition received 30,000 signatures.[Saratogian] [YNN]

The gun legislation passed on Tuesday includes funding for increased security measures at New York State schools, something Capital Region schools are already working on. [TU]

The State's highest court said it would not hear an appeal from George Amedore's campaign of a recent ruling ordering that 99 ballots be counted in the race for the 46th state Senate District . Thirty-seven votes separate Amedore and Cecelia Tkaczyk, though Amedore has already declared victory. [Record] [YNN]

Albany officials cut the ribbon on Kings Place yesterday, a 157-year old building and former drug den in Arbor Hill that was recently renovated for apartments and businesses, but the project has received criticism after a federal audit showed misuses of federal funding for the effort.[WNYT] [TU]

Said the independent consultant who was fired by NYS after questioning orders for a fleet of SUVs and spending on items like i{ads for Sandy recovery efforts: "They're trying to get stuff that would be cool to have, but we don't really need for this incident -- but maybe we can get the feds to pay for it." [TU]

New Orleans police say a man has confessed to killing Lauren Tanski. [New Orleans Times Picayune]

DNA evidence from an article of clothing left behind in a November robbery at an Albany liquor store has linked a Lake George man to the crime. [TU]

An Albany couple are facing weapons and child endangerment charges after purchasing a semi-automatic rifle from a Central Avenue gun shop on Tuesday. A prior felony made the husband ineligible for gun ownership.[TU] [YNN]

Charges against a Clifton Park woman who's accused of hitting car when she ran a stop sign in December were upgraded from DWI and Vehicular Assault to Vehicular Homicide after the driver of the other car died. [Saratogian] [TU]

A witness to the shooting of an 18-year-old Troy man testified yesterday in Rensselaer County court that Shateek Lanier was the shooter. [Record]

Albany police are looking for a man fired a gun in an Albany convenience store Lexington Avenue on Wednesday in a attempted robbery. [APD Press Release]

Police are looking into reports of shots fired this morning at an Ontario Street convenience store. [APD Press Release]

A New Jersey man is charged with stealing $9,200 worth of eyglass frames from a LensCrafters in the Wilton Mall.[Saratogian]

A group of 1930s Tudor homes owned by the Picotte real estate firm in Albany are deteriorating and Historic Albany Foundation is calling it "demolition by neglect."[TU]

Assembly Democrats are supporting a bill that would make state financial aid for colleges and universities available to illegal immigrants. [NYT]

Speaking at a health care forum at the Egg on Wednesday, Atul Gawande -- a surgeon and New Yorker writer famous for his efforts to improve health care outcomes -- said the Capital Region is "a positive deviant" because its health outcomes are toward the good end, but its costs are toward the low end. [Gazette]

A Troy group working for composting in the city presented suggestions for composting and recycling at the municipal and community level. [Record]

A minor 2.4 magnitude earthquake struck the northern Adirondacks yesterday.[WNYT]

RPI will host its first Autism Awareness hockey game on Friday, including a quieter atmosphere and an absence of flashing displays on the screens.[TU]

New York's craft brewers are riding the beer wave. [TU]

A Colonie man will march in next week's inaugural parade, 34 44 years after his father marched at Nixon's inaugural. (Nixon's first inaugural.) [WNYT] [Wikipedia]
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APD Press Release - Shots fired at Lexington Avenue store

Albany police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred this morning at a convenience store on Lexington Avenue.
 
On Wednesday January 16, 2013 at approximately 10:15 a.m. officers responded to Shahbain Deli and Grocery, located at 115 Lexington Avenue, for a report of a robbery. When officers arrived the clerk stated that a male had entered the store with what appeared to be a handgun and demanded money. The suspect fled the scene without getting any cash.
 
The suspect did fire one shot from the handgun while inside the store.
 
The clerk was not shot and was unharmed during the incident.
 
The investigation is ongoing.
 

APD press release -- Shots fired at Ontario Street store

Albany police are investigating a shots fired incident that occurred this morning inside a convenience store on Ontario Street.

At approximately 8:20 a.m., officers responded to The Stadium Deli and Grocery, 82 Ontario Street, for a report of shots fired. When officers arrived, the clerk stated that a man had entered the store and began to cause a commotion. The clerk states that the suspect then displayed a handgun and fired one shot while still inside the store.

The only two people inside the store at the time were employees. Neither were injured during the incident.

The investigation is ongoing.