All Over Albany

Details in apparent Saratoga murder-suicide, Sheehan not a fan of proposed Albany city budget, what was that smell?, season of the skunk

Saratoga Springs police say a man killed his mother and then 12 hours later killed himself in their home (map). SSPD says 47-year-old John Ambrozak fatally stabbed his 75-year-old Patricia Ambrozak and then shot himself with a rifle. Police say it appears the deaths occurred on Monday -- they were found on Friday by an acquaintance. The Ambrozaks ran the Bayshores Tropic Hut on Saratoga Lake. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette] [TU]

As the state approaches the November election and a ballot question about approving full casinos in the state, a few profiles of people in the area who are addicted to gambling -- including a man who banned himself from the Saratoga Casino and Raceway, only later to sneak back in. A think tank -- the Institute for American Values -- has released a report critical of slot machines' effect on problem gambling and skeptical of the revenue gains casino supporters are touting in the state. [TU] [TU]

Many Capital Region municipalities haven't reviewed or updated their ethics rules for public officials since the 1970s, according to an analysis by the Times Union. [TU]

About 65,000 people used the state's new health exchange website to shop for health plan options in the four days since the website launched last Tuesday, according to the state Department of Health. [TU]

All around the Capital Region on Saturday: a mystery odor, which no one seems to have been able to identify. [TU]

Gazette articles continue be open-access because of a computer problem.

More comments from local Congress members on the government shutdown. [News10]

Checking in with local people during and after the recession. [TU]

Despite recent layoff announcements, a spokesperson for GE says the company remains "committed to our strong presence" in the Capital Region. [Daily Gazette]

Kathy Sheehan -- probable next mayor of Albany -- on the Jennings administration's city budget for next year, to the Times Union: "I think it's a terrible budget." [TU]

There's a public hearing tonight at Albany city hall about the three major changes proposed to the Park South redevelopment plan. [YNN] [Common Council member Leah Golby FB]

A financial condition audit of Saratoga County by the state comptroller's office concludes the cost of the county's nursing home has been a drag on county finances. The audit concluded the nursing home -- which the county is in the process of trying to privatize -- has lost more than $11 million each of the the last three years. [NYS OSC] [Daily Gazette] [TU]

In Colonie, once a Republican stronghold, the GOP candidate for supervisor Todd Drake has raised just $8k for his campaign (and $5k was his own money). Incumbent Democrat Paula Mahan reported more than $50k raised. [TU] [NYS BOE]

Troy police say a man was arrested after an apparent stabbing in a North Central apartment just after midnight Saturday (map). [Troy Record] [TU]

Stillwater police say a man was arrested after he was accused of assaulting a woman while she held an 8-week-old baby. [News10]

UAlbany police say they're looking into an incident in which a bicycle rider might have been hit by a bus near the Western Ave entrance to the uptown campus late Saturday afternoon. The bicyclist was taken to the hospital with what were said to be non-life-threatening injuries. [News10] [TU] [WNYT]

Schenectady police say the "find my phone" iPhone app helped them recover two phones that were recently stolen. [Daily Gazette]

Those motorcycles at the state Capitol Saturday? A protest of the NY SAFE Act and rally for constitutional freedoms. [Troy Record]

The Cohoes Local Development Corp. says it will give more financial oversight to community activities and events it helps funds after a report by the state Authorities Budget Office. [TU] [NYS ABO]

Proposed idea in Schenectady: hire part-timers to go door-to-door looking for unlicensed dogs. [Daily Gazette]

The proposed community graffiti wall in Schenectady has found new supporters. [Daily Gazette]

A fundraiser for the Albany Damien Center, seriously damaged by fire in August, raised almost $35k this past weekend. [WNYT]

Raising a stink in the village of Green Island: skunks. [Troy Record]

What happened when a researcher at the GE research center in Niskayuna won a Nobel prize 40 years ago. [Daily Gazette]