All Over Albany

Schenectady school district preparing federal complaint over state aid, Albany doctor at center of Lyme controversy, rash of car vandalism Halloween night in Albany

Schenectady schools superintendent Larry Spring is seeking parent support before he files a civil rights complaint with the feds arguing the state's school funding formula discriminates against districts with large minority populations. [TU] [SCSD] [Daily Gazette]

Tracey Zetzsche -- who pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in case in which she apparently beat her adult son, who had a disability, to death in a Westerlo apartment in 2012 -- was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday. Zetzsche has said she doesn't remember the incident, a claim supported by psychologists who've examined her. She said at the sentencing: "I do know that my son is gone. And whatever sentence you believe is necessary I'll abide by it ... the worst punishment is that I may have caused my son's death. I have to live my life without my child." [WNYT] [YNN] [TU]

A federal judge has ordered the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany to turn over almost four decades of clergy abuse files to a man who's suing the diocese alleging he was raped by a priest as a child. [TU]

A Times Union analysis of records from related to a discretionary fund at the SUNY Research Foundation concludes SUNY chancellor Nancy Zimpher has made "extensive" use of outside consultants during her tenure. [TU]

An Albany pediatrician is at the center of what the Times Union calls a "polarizing controversy" -- "whether doctors who treat chronic Lyme are saviors or quacks." [TU]

There's a plan to install disinfection technology on one sewer pipe in Albany -- called "Big C" -- that's responsible for almost half of the raw sewage discharges into the Hudson River during combined sewer overflows (when storm water overwhelms the sewer system). [TU]

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My Exit: Tim McDonough

Monday is My Exit Day in the Capital Region -- the day when WEXT invites a listener to program an hour of music with their favorite tunes. Tonight's show mixes Neko Case, Bob Dylan, new music from Barrence Whitfield & the Savages, and an old song about David Cassidy.

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Prenatal classes?

Reader emails:

I'm writing in search of prenatal classes - yoga, dance, workout, etc - held in the evening or on the weekend. I'm in downtown Albany, but could travel to other nearby locales. Do your readers have any good ones to recommend?

It sounds Reader's looking for prenatal movement/exercise classes. But we'll expand Reader's question just a bit to also include prenatal classes on topics such as newborn care or breastfeeding.

Got a suggestion? Please share! Non-redeemable bonus points for a sentence or two about why you liked the class you're suggestion.

Earlier on AOA: Ask AOA: A good obstetrician?

photo: Flickr user nerissa's ring (cc)

Talking with the Republican, Green, and Conservative candidates for Albany mayor

Jesse Calhoun, Theresa Portelli, Joe Sullivan

As you know, one of the offices up for election in Tuesday's election is mayor of Albany, an important election for a lot people -- whether they live in the city, work in the city, or just go there often. And as you also know, voter enrollment in the city heavily Democratic -- so the winner of September's Democratic primary, current city treasurer Kathy Sheehan, is in position to take the election. (Here's an interview with her from just before the primary.)

Pretty much every candidate will tell you they're in a race to win it. But even if victory is a long shot, there are other reasons to run -- maybe most importantly, getting alternative ideas out there and focusing attention on topics a candidate thinks should be getting more of the spotlight.

So with that mind, we interviewed the other mayoral candidates with spots on the ballot: Jesse Calhoun, on the Republican line; Theresa Portelli, on the Green Party line; and Joe Sullivan, on the Conservative Party line.

Here are their answers to a handful of questions in a quick scan, pick-and-choose format.

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"Divorced Guy Bedding"

From a local mattress store listing on Craigslist: "Just split from your wife or girlfriend and now your sleeping on an air mattress that loses air faster than the Titanic took on water..." (Thanks, A)

- Mon 3:12 PM - say something!

Hudson River rise

The areas shaded in tan are "100 year floodplains and low-lying areas" after a sea level rise of 6 feet.

After seeing this National Geographic continent-level map based on projections of sea level rise from melting ice, we were curious how rises in sea level could affect the Hudson Valley.

Wait, the Hudson Valley? Yep, it's tidal all the way up to the Federal Dam at Troy. From a Scenic Hudson report (link added):

Over the past century, sea level on the Hudson has risen about a foot--more precisely about 3.2mm per year--a rate greater than the global average. The best data available indicates that we can expect the Hudson's water levels to continue rising up to six feet by the end of this century, and perhaps that much again during the next century.

To help people get a better understanding on the implications of the rising water levels, Scenic Hudson has posted an interactive "Sea Level Rise Mapper." It's good -- it allows you to zoom in on a specific area to see what areas will be threatened, along with projected numbers for affected acreage and households, for the Hudson Valley from just north of NYC all the way up to Troy.

The short story for this area, based on the Scenic Hudson map: Even with a six-foot rise in sea level, many parts of this area along the river would still be protected from permanent inundation (though those low-lying areas of East Greenbush and Schodack along the train tracks get swallowed up). But the area in potential danger during a large flooding event would increase, covering significant portions of Green Island, Troy, Watervliet, Rensselaer, and downtown Albany.

[via Buzzfeed]

Politics Recent argument from Bruce Gyory, a political consultant here in Albany and adjunct professor of political science at SUNY Albany: Climate change will become "the fundamental factor realigning American politics." [City & State]

Earlier on AOA: Photos of Irene flooding in Troy

map: Scenic Hudson

Ballot question guide

NYPIRG has posted a voters' guide to the six New York State ballot questions that will be up for a vote Tuesday. (You've probably heard about the question regarding full casino gambling.) The NYPIRG guide includes the text of each question, along with an abstract, and arguments from supporters and opponents.

- Mon 5:10 PM - say something!