Cocaine ring bust nets 31 local arrests, Niskayuna may close school,Regal closing Latham & Wilton theaters

An uptick in violent crime and shootings at the end of 2011 led Albany police to bust a drug trafficking ring between New York City and the Capital Region, resulting in 226- indictments and 31 local arrests on charges ranging from drug trafficking to conspiracy to commit murder. [TU] [WNYT] [Saratogian]

The Troy man allegedly stabbed to death by a pair of teens on Monday may have been killed for $62,000 he received in a recent lead poisoning settlement. The teens were arraigned in connection with the stabbing on Monday are cousins of the victim, and allegedly murdered the man while he was visiting his infant son. [TU] [YNN]

The trial of two longtime Albany brokers charged with running a Ponzi scheme enters a fourth day of jury deliberations in U.S. District court in Utica today [TU]

In his annual State of the Judiciary speech on Tuesday, New York's top judge, Jonathan Lippman called for changes in the bail system, claiming it is unfair to the poor and allows dangerous suspects to go free.[NY Times]

A multi-million-dollar budget gap may force the Niskayuna School District to close a school. [YNN]

UAlbany School of Business Weekend MBA ad 2012 summer

The Saratoga Springs City Council passed a resolution on Tuesday urging the federal government to maintain a rail line to Vermont that goes through the city rather than shift service to Mechanicville, bypassing the city of Saratoga. [Saratogian] [YNN]

A drug to fight colorectal cancer, produced by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals , has been approved for use in Europe.[Record]

Testifying against her alleged attacker Albany woman Tuesday gave a graphic account of being sexually abused in her home that she was sexually attacked in her home in the presence of her five children. [TU]

A trail of blood led Schenectady police to an injured man behind the OTB building in the city.[WNYT]

After a three year wait, Steven Raucci's appeal hearing is set to begin today. [Gazette]

Police in Rotterdam found 13 pounds of cocaine in the trunk of a car at a routine traffic stop on last weekend. [Gazette]

A former Auto Zone employee is filing charges against the company for allegedly discriminating
against her on the basis or race and gender.
[Record]

Troy's City Zoning board has given its approval to an RPI is proposal to turn a former Church in Troy into a fraternity house. [YNN][WNYT]

Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson is slated to address the House Committee on Science Space and technologiy today, to talk about the role of scientific research and development in American competitiveness.[RPI]

Researchers at GE are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs on a $2.5 million project to find ways that robots can clean and manage surgical tools with little or no human involvment.[TU]

Regal Cinemas will close theaters at the Latham Circle Mall and Wilton Mall and plans to upgrade theaters in Aviation Mall and Clifton Park.[WNYT] [Saratogian]

A community on Rapp Road in Albany is concerned about losing an historic home on a piece of property purchased by The Daughters of Sarah nursing home. [News 10]

The Sage Colleges will name a new eduction center for Dawn Hochspring, a former graduate student and educator who was killed in the December shooting at Newtown.[TU]

Albany's Woodlake apartment complex has installed an electric car charger. [WNYT]

Comments

The articles say that the First Baptist Church is closed/no longer on the tax roles, but that surprises me. Their website shows they have active services, community dinners, and I think there is a school there as well. (http://firstbaptisttroy.com/) I'm surprised it was targeted by RPI/the frat as a possible renovation, since there are several churches in Troy that really are empty. Is the church closed or not?

That said, FIJI is one of the most responsible/active frats at RPI, so I'm sure they will be a great asset to downtown. It looks like they've agreed to take care of Barker Park as well, which will only benefit the community.

Re: Regal Cinema closing in Latham. I think we can officially call that Mall DEAD now! Hopefully they will build a shiny new theater in the new building. It will be interesting to see if that will be a Regal cinema or not.

I was curious so I googled "what is the street value of 3 pounds of cocaine." Depending on your city, it looks like it might bring in more than a million dollars.

@Jessica: Funeral services for the Latham Mall were held at 11:00 am this morning. No one attended.

I will mourn the passing of the Latham Regal if no one else will. It was the only place I felt comfortable taking a baby to see movies, early in the morning, middle of the week, when I could be assured we would be the only ones in the theater. RIP.

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