All Over Albany

State leaders cramming to finish budget, man accused of fleeing crash on foot -- while carrying toddlers, video of fight in West Capitol Park, Coeymans re-named for sandwiches

Negotiations continued through the weekend as The Four Men in a Room tried to settled on state budget, which could include a minimum wage increase. [TU] [State of Politics]

The eight counties of the greater Capital Region saw a 39 percent increase in pistol permit applications in 2012 compared to the year before. [Daily Gazette]

Alain Kaloyeros tells the Times Union there have been "very positive conversations" among SUNY leaders about the floated plan to spin off the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, but: "There has not been any model advanced to separate (the NanoCollege) from the University at Albany campus and all that has been reported is premature." [TU]

A seventh person -- a 16 year old -- has been arrested for the murder of Takim Smith. Chawn A. Sheares is charged with murder, robbery, conspiracy, and criminal possession of a weapon. [Troy Record] [TU]

Saratoga Springs mayor Scott Johnson says he won't run for re-election this fall. He says he and wife are heading for "another chapter" of their lives. [Saratogian] [TU]

New York State has the highest union membership in the country, as a percentage of wage and salary workers, at 23 percent. [Daily Gazette]

Cecilia Tkaczyk is part of a state-level push for public campaign financing. [AP/Troy Record]

Foundations connected to SUNY schools collectively control almost $1.8 billion in funds, though they operate without much outside scrutiny. [TU]

There is "tremendous variation" in the unverified violence and disruptive behavior reports schools file with the state Department of Education, according to a Times Union analysis. [TU]

A Troy city councilman has floated a plan for a means-tested five-year phase in for tax increases from the city's property tax reassessment, the first in 40 years. [Troy Record]

Can someone be a convicted felon on probation and run mayor of Albany? Maybe. [TU]

Troy city officials say the city's parking meters are bringing in only 1/3 of the amount originally projected, maybe because they're in sub-optimal spots. [Troy Record]

The private company that runs the Colonie landfill is looking to increase the amount of garbage it can dump there. [TU]

Colonie police say a man tried to flee the scene of Central Ave car crash Saturday on foot -- while carrying a 1 year old and a 3 year old (map). [Troy Record] [TU]

Colonie police are looking for the person who robbed Pioneer Savings bank near the Latham Circle Saturday afternoon. CPD has released security cam stills of the man. [TU] [News10]

There apparently was some sort of fight in West Capitol Park Saturday around the time of the St. Patrick's Day Parade -- at least, according to a video posted online (might want to turn the sound down). The video surfaced on Gothamist, which made sure to take a shot at Albany while writing about it. [TU] [LiveLeak] [Gothamist]

Saratoga Springs police say a man was arrested early Saturday morning after a rampage through city hall with a fire extinguisher. Note to would-be city hall rampagers: the police station is in the basement of city hall. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

The man accused of threatening to kill a Skidmore student was brought to Saratoga Springs late Friday afternoon from New Jersey and arraigned. [Saratogian]

Students at Duanesburg High School say the school canceled their organic chemistry class mid-term, perhaps because the grades so far were too low. [Daily Gazette]

Time Warner Cable is moving to re-brand YNN -- along with its other local news channels -- as " Time Warner Cable News." [TU]

The name of the town of Coeymans can be had for 5,000 fast food sandwiches. [TU]