All Over Albany

State on track to spend $600 Million in overtime, charges expected to be dropped against alleged rapist today, secretary to three Albany mayors to retire at 89

Andrew Cuomo's office is not pleased with a recent report that shows state workers have logged about $462 million in overtime this year and that the state is on track to spend $600 million in overtime by the end of the year. The State Division of Budget says the report by the State Comptroller's Office has a "shocking lack of content" and points out that the report fails to mention Superstorm Sandy, a Long Island blizzard and flooding in the Mohawk Valley, which would have been responsible for a great deal of the overtime. [YNN][TU][WNYT]

The Rensselaer man who, due to a paperwork error by the DA's office, escaped charges alleging he raped two teenage girls, will appear in court today to officially have charges dropped. Family members of the alleged victims plan to be in court today when John Halacy appears. [TU][Record][News10]

Jury deliberation resumes this afternoon in Glens Falls, in the trial of 30-year-old Gary Waite, charged with murder and manslaughter in the February death of his 15-month-old son. On Tuesday, Waite's attorney called only one witness - Waite's sister, and Waite himself did not take the stand.[TU][WNYT]

The Albany Police officer charged with DWI testified on Tuesday that he suspected he was the victim of a set-up by a police union leader who advised him not to take an alcohol test.[TU]

A State Supreme Court Judge says there will be no recount in the race for an at-large seat on the Troy City Council. [TU]

A State Supreme Court judge will hear arguments over whether 23 disputed paper ballots in Malta should be counted in the race for Malta town supervisor.[TU][WNYT]

Eight fire crews worked to put out a blaze at a Delanson home overnight.
No one was injured but the home was destroyed.[YNN][News10]

A Troy man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly shoving a woman into a stove, scalding her when boiling pots of water splashed on her skin.[TU]

A Troy man is charged with rape, criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly raping and physically attacking a 16-year-old girl last February.[TU]

State Police arrested two men on Tuesday who confessed to a string of burglaries and car thefts in Queensbury. [TU]

Warren County sheriff's deputies arrested a Gansevoort woman for allegedly embezzling over $57,000 from the doctor's office where she was employed.[TU]

Rotterdam police are investigating nine recent burglaries in the Hamburg Street and Chrisler Avenue areas of town.[News10]

About 100 people attended a forum Tuesday night on making troys streets safer for motorists , cyclists and pedestrians. [Record]

A bill sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer may help fraud victims of Albany brokerage firm McGinn-Smith get compensation for some of their lost assets. [TU]

RPI, Ecovative Design and a company called Mechanical Solutions in Albany got a total of $1.2 million from the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority for projects that will help make more energy efficient buildings. [TU]

Schenectady's new $3 million apartment building at 245 Broadway officially opens today.

Sixteen Troy firefighters were promoted on Tuesday and five firefighters were honored for helping to rescue three people from a Watervliet apartment fire back in September. [TU][Record]

A group that helps homeless vets is hosting a concert at the TU Center to try and turn the former Ann Lee nursing home into a veterans housing center.[TU][WNYT]

The latest in the saga of Pete, the missing parrot: A man that may be a scammer claimed to have found the bird and offered to sell it back to the owner for $400. [TU]

Thomas J. Higgins, who served three terms as mayor of Mechanicville, passed away at the age of 82.[TU]

A 73-year old former newspaper reporter is donating proceeds from the sale of a letter from Abraham Lincoln to grass roots organizations in Albany's South End. [TU]

Thelma Dooley, who started working as a temporary fill-in secretary for Mayor Erastus Corning, is retiring at age 89, after spending the last 40 years a secretary to three Albany mayors. [TU]

The Ballston Spa School district will unveil the contents of an 1899 time capsule, discovered recently recently by workers at one of the district's administration buildings. [Saratogian]