All Over Albany

Former legislator secretly taped Senate colleagues, Cuomo promises $60 million for tourism, officers who died in the line of duty honored, St. Patrick's tower slated for demolition

In an effort to cooperate with federal law enforcement to ease a corruption case against her, a former member of the NYS Senate taped conversations with six Democratic colleagues and a New York City Councilman for the FBI. [NYT][TU][YNN]

Joe Bruno was in court on Wednesday to argue that he shouldn't be re-tried on federal corruption charges.[WNYT] [YNN]

At Wednesday's Tourism Summit in Albany, Andrew Cuomo announced $60 million to help grow the tourism industry throughout the state. He also announced the creation of a commission to attract major sporting events to the state. [TU][WNYT]

Police officers who died in the line of duty, including the Webster trooper who died in an attack on Christmas Eve, were honored in Albany on Wednesday.[YNN][TU]

The bell tower at St. Patrick's in Watervliet is expected to come down later today.[YNN]

The state legislature has asked the NYS ethics commission to remove details about how Sheldon Silver's staff handled the Vito Lopez sexual harassment scandal from a report on the scandal.[NYT]

A Troy woman is facing charges for leaving her baby in a 98 degree car on Wednesday. The woman told police she forgot the child in the backseat of her car when she went into Wal-Mart to do some shopping. [TU][Record]

The city of Troy is planning an effort to make Hoosick Street safer, after a car/pedestrian accident that sent a mother and child to the hospital in March. The changes will be announced on Friday by the City and the NYS Department of Transportation.[WNYT][Record]

Saratoga Springs Deputy Mayor, Shauna Sutton, has announced she's running for mayor.[Saratogian]

Schenectady has the highest property tax in the Capital Region.[TU]

Malta officials are expected to make a decision on the Global Foundries expansion by July 1. [Gazette]

A former Schenectady teacher and current NYSUT employee will run for a seat on the Schenectady School Board. [TU]

Two men from Western New York have pleaded guilty in connection with a string of bank robberies, including several in the Capital Region, earlier this year.
[YNN]

A fugitive, wanted in connection with a drive-by shooting in New Jersey, was arrested in Albany on Wednesday. [TU]

A Schenectady sewer department employee - the son of the water and sewer department's director- was fired on Wednesday after police found him in his car with a prostitute. [TU]

A convicted sex offender who was hired to work at the Moreau town recreation park was fired after three weeks on the job, when town officials learned he lied about his criminal record on his job application.[Saratogian]

The U.S. Justice Department has reopened an investigation into allegations that upper level managers in the State Health Department and Research Foundation for the State University pushed low-level audtiors to manipulate data and under-report Medicaid claims. [TU]

Some Troy residents are working to halt construcition on a luxury apartment complex in South Troy that started as a senior complex, but grew in scope without neighborhood input. [YNN]

SPAC officials are working to restore the New York City Ballet season back to two weeks in 2014, but financial constraints are making it difficult. [Saratogian]

Escalators at the Rensselaer rail station have been out of service for nine weeks, and it could be another month before they are up and running again.[TU]

Asked if he was afraid when fighting for civil rights throughout his career in the Capital Region, a 91 year old minister and community leader said, "If you felt you had to do it, you didn't worry about the consequences or think about what might happen."[TU]

Albany police are playing basketball with area teens as part of an outreach program between the department and Equinox Youth Center.[YNN]

Albany high school students are working on a locally written play that calls attention to the plight of women in the military.