All Over Albany

Planning and criticism for no-tax zones, man says he lost his job because of mistaken arrest, attorney: charge should be dropped because of "hit like a girl" comment

Businesses and politicians are thinking up ways to use the no-tax zones attached to college campuses proposed by Andrew Cuomo -- even if it how it all would work isn't clear yet. The proposal would have to be passed by the legislature before taking effect -- and criticism from legislators is bubbling up. [TU] [State of Politics] [State of Politics]

State Senate Republicans have a floated a plan for picking casino sites around the state. It would put the first casino in the Catskills, the second in the Southern Tier, and the third in the Capital Region. [AP/Troy Record] [State of Politics]

A man wanted in connection with the shooting death of Darzee Reid in Albany in April -- the city's first homicide of the year -- was apprehended in Kentucky this week. [YNN]

A Schenectady man says he was arrested in a case of mistaken identity as part of a drug sweep coordinated by the state Attorney General's office in February -- News 10 reports the AG's office is moving to drop the charge, but the man has already lost his job. [NYS AG] [News10]

The principal of Cohoes High School is back at work after accepting an undisclosed penalty for buying ammunition in the parking lot of the school. The school board concluded he made a mistake in violating the code of conduct, but police say he didn't violate any laws. Joseph Rajczak said in a statement that he "used poor judgment and fully accept the district's consequences for my actions." [Troy Record] [TU] [CSSD]

Search crews are looking for a man who apparently fell into the Hudson Thursday evening near Rensselaer. [YNN]

The state education commissioner is attempting to enlist the help of business leaders to push back against opposition to standardized testing and the "Common Core" curriculum. [TU]

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office says a Clifton Park man apparently committed suicide when police showed up at his house to arrest him on a bench warrant for second-degree burglary. [Saratogian]

Yet another incident of smoke rising from a underground utility access in downtown Albany. [TU]

The St. Rose campus was locked down for less than an hour Thursday afternoon after a report of a man with a a rifle -- which turned out to be... an umbrella. [YNN] [TU]

Saratoga Springs' public safety commissioner says assistant police chief Greg Veitch will be promoted to chief. [Daily Gazette]

A Saratoga Springs DPW supervisor has filed a grievance arguing she was transferred because she's a woman and because of her union work. [Saratogian]

The attorney for Brian Nolan, former Albany city employee accused of hitting recreation commissioner John D'Antonio last December, is arguing the assault charge against his client should be dropped because of D'Antonio's assertion that Nolan "hit like a girl" when punching D'Antonio in the mouth. [TU]

Columbia County's DA has chosen to not prosecute a man charged under the NY SAFE Act for having 9 rounds in his handgun, two more than allowed by the law. [WNYT]

A Troy Record columnist has been charged in connection with an alleged domestic dispute in Niskayuna. [TU]

Noted: If you refer to yourself as "1922 silver dollar coin" and call yourself "deceased" in a letter to a judge, it's going to raise a few eyebrows. [TU]

That Sno Kone Joe/Mr. Ding-A-Ling case in Gloversville is still going -- five days in court and it's scheduled to pick up again in June. [TU]

External validation that Albany is/could be more walkable. [TU]

Proposed: a loop trail connecting Cohoes, Peebles Island, and Waterford, with launch sites for canoes and kayaks. [Troy Record]

NaSeaph Williams -- the Saratoga boy suffering from a terminal illness who turned his birthday party into an opportunity for people to donate to a food bank -- got to meet Tom Brady Thursday. [TU]