Police say firebombing of chief's house was retaliation, charges dismissed for last two Troy ballot fraud defendants, BZA backs decision to stop dance music shows at Armory

Scotia police say they've arrested four men for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails into the then-police chief's home in 2010. Scotia's current police chief says the men -- then 17 and 18 years old -- were retaliating for what they regarded as harassment by police. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Said one Herkimer area resident in the aftermath of the shootings that left four people dead and two others injured: "It's going to take a while to recover." The motive for Kurt R. Myers' rampage is still unclear. [TU] [NYT]

Another casualty of the situation: Ape, an FBI tactical dog, who agents say was fatally shot while playing a key role during the operation to take down Myers -- an FBI agent says the dog's actions "prevented his teammates from being seriously wounded or killed." [TU] [Utica Observer-Dispatch] [NYT]

State attorney general Eric Schneiderman announced an agreement with a large majority of the state's gun show operators that includes new procedures for making sure there are background checks for gun buyers. The state AG's office says the agreement comes after undercover agents were able to buy guns at multiple shows without a background check. [NYS AG] [NYT]

A western New York is apparently the first person in the state to be arrested for violating the NY SAFE Act. [Buffalo News] [NYS AG]

The New York City woman who jumped to her death from an 8th floor window with her baby strapped to her body -- amazingly the child survived -- was the 1986 valedictorian at Colonie Central High School. [NYDN] [NYT] [TU]

UAlbany School of Business Weekend MBA ad 2012 summer

The charges against the last two defendants in the Troy ballot fraud case -- former city council president Clement Campana and current councilman Gary Galuski -- have been dismissed. Said the judge in response to a joint motion to dismiss by both the prosecution and defense: "After one mistrial, and two lengthy trials resulting in acquittals, continued prosecution of this voter fraud matter is not in the public's interest." [TU] [Troy Record]

Rensselaer County officials aren't happy with the $500k bill from the special prosecutor in the Troy ballot fraud case. [TU]

Testified James Wells at his trial for allegedly fatally shooting Schenectady teen Eddie Stanley: "I never killed Eddie Stanley so I never told anyone I killed Eddie Stanley." Wells said during questioning from his attorney that he did draw his gun, but didn't fire it during a fight at a party. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Said the man who pleaded guilty to vehicular assault for a crash that seriously injured another person in Ballston Spa last September -- and who was apparently high on LSD and alcohol at the time of the crash -- according to the Saratoga County DA's office: "I thought I could time travel and drive through (the other car)... I wanted to see what would happen." [Saratoga County DA]

Albany's board of zoning appeals has agreed with city code enforcement officials that dance music shows at the Washington Ave Armory violate zoning rules for the building. [TU]

Albany County has reached an agreement in which 1,200 county employees will get paid time off for furlough days in 2009. [TU]

When can state employees talk to the press? It depends. [TU]

Andrew Cuomo on the proposed spin off the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering: "I haven't studied it, so I don't have a firm opinion." [AP/TU]

North Greenbush's town board approved the appointment of Robert Durivage as town police chief. [Troy Record]

At issue in the expansion of the Chobani plant in Chenango County: how much water the yogurt company is using and whether that's affecting nearby wells. [TU]

The Capital Region is one of the few places in the state outside of New York City to gain population over the last two years, according to Census Bureau estimates. [Daily Gazette]

Davidson Brothers Brewing is expanding its brewing capacity with a new facility in Queensbury. [WNYT]

Proposed for Thacher Park: a $3 million visitors center (not proposed: rebuilding the pool). [Saratogian]

Comments

"The state AG's office says the agreement comes after undercover agents were able to buy buns at multiple shows without a background check."

It's discrimination, I tell ya! Why should folks be able to buy rolls, donuts, muffins, and even bagels and bialys without a background check, while us bun lovers get all this hassle?

Srsly, AOA, perhaps one of the items in your agenda of changes/improvements for the new year should be allowing about 10 minutes per day to proofreading the Morning Blend. I know you are drinking coffee before you write this, so the frequent typos and omitted words are probably just due to rushing through the process.

@chezjake: There's a little-known section of the NY SAFE Act that covers cinnamon buns. I know, it's outlandish. That's what happens when these bills are passed quickly during the night.

In many instances, I find the occasional typo or omitted word to be more interesting and entertaining than the corrected version. And given the news we have these days, there's something to be said for entertainment.

"I thought I could time travel and drive through (the other car)... I wanted to see what would happen."

For all of you who are curious (like me) to see the face of someone who not just believed he could time travel THROUGH A CAR*, I strongly encourage you to click on the link for the full story above.

Yes, he may have done something incredibly stupid and dangerous, and hurt someone very badly, but I've never seen a face that matched up with a quote more. That LOOKS like the kind of guy who genuinely believes he's capable of time travel.

*I believe this is just called normal traveling, not time traveling.

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