All Over Albany

Sheehan wins Albany mayoral race, Yepsen wins in Saratoga Springs, SUNY investigating president of SUNY Upstate Medical

Albany has elected its first new mayor in 20 years. Kathy Sheehan handily defeated the rest of the field with 83 percent of the vote. Sheehan is will become one of three female mayors leading some of upstate New York's most populous cities. [TU][YNN][TU]

Paula Mahan (D) easily defeated opponent Todd Drake (R) to win her fourth term as Colonie town supervisor. [WNYT]

Democrat Joanne Yepsen won the Saratoga Spring's mayoral election and promised to "take back City Hall for the people."[Saratogian]

Republican Michael Zurlo won the race to replace longtime Saratoga County Sheriff Jim Bowen. Zurlo will become the county's first new sheriff in forty years. [Saratogian][News 10]

Here's an overview of results from other local elections. [AOA]

New York voters approved the state constitutional amendment ("proposal one") that would allow up to seven full casinos in the state. The amendment passed about 57% to 43%. [NY Times][TU]

Voters around the state defeated a proposal to raise the mandatory retirement age for some state judges to 80, but passed all the other proposals on the ballot on Tuesday. [NYT]

Republicans gained seats in the Schenectady County legislature last night. But Democrats swept the Schenectady City Council races, including John Mootooveren -- the first Guyanese-American elected to the council. [TU][Gazette]

It appears the Rensselaer County legislature will remain under the control of Republicans. [Record]

Results are not final but it appears Rensselaer County DA Richard McNally has been elected to the State Supreme Court Third Judicial District. [Record]

The race for Malta Supervisor is still too close to call . [TU]

Dozens of Schenectady residents joined a civil rights complaint against New York State on Tuesday, arguing the state has shorted the city's school district on funding by giving more money to predominantly white school districts. [TU]

The president of SUNY Upstate Medical campus, who was on track to become president of Penn State University, is now under investigation after a search group that works for both schools learned he has been taking nearly $350,000 a year from an outside company without the approval of the SUNY chancellor. [TU][Capitol Confidential]

State comptroller Tom DiNapoli predicts a 2.5 percent increase in tax revenue for New York State next year. [TU]

Attorneys from the Albany County DA's office will argue before the state's highest court for the fourth time this year.[TU]

Troy police now believe the man found stabbed in his car on Monday night knew his attacker. Police have arrested a man on attempted murder charges in the case. [Record][Troy PD Press Release (posted below)]

Three 10-year-old-girls were taken to Albany Med for observation after a school bus hit the back of the sedan they were riding in on Tuesday afternoon.[TU]

A garbage truck had to be unloaded in the middle of Sand Creek Road on Tuesday when trash inside the truck caught fire. [YNN][TU]

A witness testifying in US District Court in Albany in the case of an alleged illegal casino on the Akwesasne Reservation in northern New York says he objects to the word Mohawk, claiming it means "drunken indian" and is not an Indian word. [TU]

Trailblazing Times Union reporter Shirley Armstrong, who began at the paper in 1955, died this week at the age of 91. [TU]

Siena College has established a scholarship in the name of Roman Catholic bishop Howard Hubbard, who is expected to retire within the year. [Record]

Hope is waning for the return of parrot, Pete. [TU]
________________________________

Troy PD Press Release

On Monday evening, November 4 at approximately 5:00 pm a stabbing occurred in the area of 282 Fourth Avenue, city. Investigation has determined that an adult male was seated in a vehicle when approached by another adult male known to the victim by street name. A handshake greeting was followed by the infliction of several stab wounds to the subject seated in the vehicle. The victim immediately fled his attacker, driving several blocks away before crashing into a cemetery fence at 4th Avenue and 107th Street.

 

The injured party exited the vehicle after the crash and ran to 529 Fifth Avenue where police were called. EMS responded and transported the victim to Albany Medical Center where initially it was determined the victim was in grave condition with a wound perilously close to the carotid artery. The surgery was successful and the victim is expected to recover.

 

Armed with a street name for their suspect and a short list of possible suspect locations, Troy Detectives and Patrols put out a blanket surveillance of key locations. Their watchful eyes remained alert through yesterday afternoon and into today's early morning hours. Their efforts were rewarded when at 7:00 am an adult male was observed leaving the area of a targeted location. Although the subject had a copious amount of hair (which did not match his original description), Officers initiated contact with the subject, confirmed him to be our suspect and took him into custody without incident. His wig (photo attached) was easily removed.

 

Facing charge of Attempted Murder 2nd degree is 39 year old Marlon Saint Francis of 268 4th Avenue, 1st fl., Troy, NY. Francis will be arraigned in Troy Police Court this morning.