All Over Albany

Bail set for sheriff's deputy snagged in cocaine sting, a hope to extend the focus on Solomon Northup and Saratoga Springs, even the grouchy people liked him

A federal judge set a $25,000 bond for Charles Fuller, the Saratoga County Sheriff's deputy accused by the feds of aiding the transportation of what he thought was cocaine. The US Attorney on the case said the FBI has audio and video from both trips Fuller is accused of taking. Fuller's attorney said Monday that there were indications the confidential informant used in the FBI sting of Fuller had been pressured to participate and that might result in "significant issues." [TU] [Saratogian] [Daily Gazette]

The planned sentencing of Michael Anderson for the killing of Tonette Thomas in Albany in 2012 turned into a bizarre episode Monday when Anderson tried to reverse his guilty plea and accused his attorney of misconduct. [TU]

Lewis Wood, the Albany man initially rejected by the Albany Fire Department because an investigator had tagged his app for "deceit" because of an undisclosed traffic ticket, was sworn in Monday as an AFD recruit -- becoming one of 13 African-American members of the 243-member fire department. [TU]

Solomon Northup researchers are hoping the Oscar win by 12 Years a Slave will continue to highlight Northup's story and his place in Saratoga Springs history. Said Solomon Northup Day organizer Renee Moore to the Gazette: "I think the awards will bring more attention to the autobiography and more attention to the descendants, and I'm hoping that it increases the attendance by the Saratoga community, and particularly that the African-American community will come out and embrace it as well, because they have a story to tell. There has been more than just Solomon's story here." The day honoring Northup -- July 19 this year -- will now be hosted by Skidmore. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [Saratogian]

Schenectady schools superintendent Larry Spring on the $62 million in additional funding the district says it should be getting from the state, at an event Monday aimed at highlight what advocates say are disparities in how the state funds school districts: "That results in significant overtaxing of the citizens of Schenectady ... It also means that in one of the poorest cities in the state, children are dramatically under-served." Spring says the district is facing a $10 million budget gap this year. [TU] [News10]

How much -- and to which projects -- is the state giving in tax breaks and incentives to the film and TV industry? Good question. [Syracuse.com]

The owner of Roxbury Farm was among the Rensselaer and Columbia county residents who expressed concerns about an EPA plan to treat water from the Dewey Loeffel dump. [TU]

Albany police say they arrested a man for allegedly trying to get an 11 year old to come into his resident on Livingston Ave. And they say they're still investigating what they believe to be unrelated incident last week in which a 12 year old said she was approached by two men in a car on Northern Boulevard. [APD FB]

Colonie police say a Saratoga Springs man, who's an assistant superintendent for the Gloversville school district, was allegedly found with meth during a traffic stop Sunday. [GESD] [Troy Record]

Farther afield: Officials say a Schoharie County man is recovering from being gored by a bison on the Grumpy Buffalo Farm (the farm's actual name). Said the Schoharie County sheriff of the formidable animals: "They're big and their heads are really large." [TU] [Daily Star] [Daily Gazette]

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gilbert King -- back at his alma mater, Niskayuna High School -- noted to students Tuesday that he had failed sophomore English. And of how his high-school self would have received his talk: "Yeah, I would have checked out mentally of something like this back then." [TU] [Daily Gazette]

That time Marv Cermak says he was almost framed by the mob. [Marv Cermak/TU]

The stealth mobile phone towers of Saratoga Springs. [Saratogian]

Former State Museum director Martin Sullivan, known for the museum's return of some objects to the Onondaga Nation, as remembered by one of his former colleagues: "Even the grouchy people in the museum liked him." [TU]