All Over Albany

Sheriff's office: pedestrian killed after driver fell asleep and veered, NWS says there was third tornado, Uncle Sam loses his head

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office says a Halfmoon man was killed early Sunday morning when he was struck by a vehicle as he walked along Route 4. SCSO says the driver of the vehicle had fallen asleep and veered off the road -- he's been ticketed for failure to keep right. [TU] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette]

A jury found Antonio Lopez-Bautista guilty of the attempted kidnapping and attempted rape of a woman on Saratoga Springs' west side in May 2012. He faces up to 15 years in prison. Lopez-Bautista is in the country illegally and could be deported after serving his prison sentence. [Daily Gazette] [TU] [Saratogian]

Having the case against Robert Butler, accused of arson in the Schenectady fire that killed three children and their father, prosecuted by the feds as a death penalty case is a possibility the Schenectady County DA tells the Times Union. [TU]

The National Weather Service has concluded that a third tornado touched down in the Capital Region last Wednesday, in Clifton Park (map) -- NWS estimates the tornado was 200 yards wide and traveled a mile, with max wind speeds of 100 mph. [NWS]

The State Liquor Authority has significantly reduced the wait time for processing new liquor license applications. [TU]

A least six Capital Region doctors have been paid $100k or more in speaking and consulting fees from drug companies during a 4-year period ending in 2012, according to a database of financial disclosures. (The database was compiled by Pro Publica -- you can search through it yourself.) [TU]

Troy police say a 17-year-old has been arrested for the stabbing of a 12-year-old last week. TPD hasn't disclosed the details surrounding the alleged stabbing, but a witness tells the Record it was prompted by a dispute over a mobile phone. [TU] [Troy Record]

Albany police say they want to talk to the husband of the woman found dead in her apartment last week in West Hill. [TU]

Saratoga County sheriff James Bowen on the NY SAFE Act: "All it's done is created a hardship on law-abiding people and put a workload on locals." [TU]

Schenectady's new city engineer is trying to figure out what to do about sidewalks that have been blacktopped over -- or just outright removed. [Daily Gazette]

The city of Schenectady is apparently leaning away from selling the former Brandywine School property to a mosque because the property would become tax-exempt. [Daily Gazette]

GlobalFoundries will pay for a study by the Saratoga County Water Authority to determine what sort of upgrades might be necessary to supply a second chip fab. [Daily Gazette]

The Albany County Sheriff's Office says a Troy man crashed his car into an embankment on Washington Ave Extension near the NanoCollege early Saturday morning after a short chase. [TU]

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Department says four teen girls have been arrested for the theft of jewelry worth about $10k from a Milton home. [TU]

Troy police say one of the Uncles Sam lost its head after being knocked over early Sunday morning. A Watervliet man has been arrested and charged with criminal mischief. Said the artist who decorated the Sam: "I would like to meet the guy who took it to give him a piece of my mind." [TU] [News10] [WNYT]

Saratoga County Republican Committee has endorsed Michael Zurlo for sheriff, over Phil Lindsey (Lindsey says he's not dropping out). [TU]

Colonie Republican Jennifer Whalen -- who's twice run for state Assembly -- is planning a run for Albany County clerk, saying she wants to "break that death grip" Democrats have on a board that awards county contracts. [TU]

Former Albany police spokesman Jimmy Miller is running for Common Council from the 8th ward, where there could be a three-way Democratic primary. [YNN] [TU]

If your Albany library card is stolen, you could be liable for what's checked out on it if you don't report it stolen. [TU]

A Menands woman, a former nun, says she plans to be ordained a Catholic priest this fall. (The Catholic church doesn't recognized women priests -- but a growing group of women are arguing that their ordinations are valid.) [TU]

The population of farmers is aging, prompting a need for new farmers -- but it's a hard business get started up. [TU]

A group of Union College students will installing a large chalkboard in various places around Schenectady so that people can finish the statement: "Before I Die I Want To..." [TU]

Daily Gazette columnist Irv Dean, who had worked for local newspapers for decades, has died. [Daily Gazette]