All Over Albany

Trial of Schenectady grandmother accused of causing her grandsons death, investigation into weekend shootings in Albany, librarian departs after reading contest controversy

On Monday there were opening statements and the first witnesses in the trial of Gloria Nelligan, accused of beating her 8-year-old grandson to death in Schenectady in February. The prosecutor alleged that Nelligan had put Sha'hiim Nelligan through a series of escalating punishments for stealing a pack of gum, the final stage of which involved being tied to a chair and beaten over the course of hours. Nelligan's attorney said her client had hit the boy "four or five times" and never intended to injure or kill him -- and his death was instead caused by a fall in the bathtub. Nelligan's attorney also said the boy had a history of hurting himself. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [WNYT] [YNN] [News10]

A NanoCollege plan to build three chip fabs in the Utica area has prompted concerns from officials in the Hudson Valley that IBM could start to turn its back on its fab in East Fishkill. [TU]

The Albany County Board of Elections is looking into an affidavit ballot cast in last week's Albany 5th Ward Common Council primary by a person who claimed an address that appears to be a vacant building -- a building owned by one of the candidates' brother. [TU]

Albany police say they're investigating two shootings over the weekend: The South End shooting that resulted in two men being injured Saturday morning (map), and a second shooting Sunday morning in West Hill in which a man suffered gunshot wounds (block map). [APD FB]

Troy police say multiple shots were fired through the window of a south Lansingburgh home Monday night (block map). TPD says no one was injured, and it's investigating. [TU] [YNN]

Schenectady police cited "a communication error" for why a bomb threat called in Sunday about the Yates Elementary Magnet School didn't result in an evacuation and search of the building until after students showed up on Monday. [News10]

Albany police say a city man has been arrested for exposing himself -- for the third time this year. The latest alleged incident was in a yard on a block of Jay Street just off N. Main Ave (block map). [APD FB]

New York State is dropping the GED in favor of its own high school degree equivalency test. [TU]

At issue: Whether New York State should continue to require fire-suppression canopies over pumps at gas stations -- NYS is one of a few states that still does. [TU]

The city of Schenectady is scheduled to start installing pay-and-display type parking kiosks downtown next month. [Daily Gazette]

The Watervliet Arsenal has been making mortars for the Afghan Army. [Troy Record]

Hudson Falls is moving toward eliminating a village law that prohibits people from sitting on or lying on the grass in village parks. [Post-Star]

Remember that story about the kid who kept winning the summer reading contest in Hudson Falls and the library director who said he shouldn't participate because he was discouraging the other kids? The library says the librarian no longer works there. [Post-Star] [Post-Star]