All Over Albany

Troy police officer suspended amid investigation of off-duty conduct, push for increased education funding in state budget, questions about mass of dead birds, church gives away another gun

A Troy police officer has been suspended without pay for 30 days because of an investigation into off-duty conduct. The TPD wouldn't confirm the reason for the suspension, but "sources with knowledge of the investigation" and "officials briefed on the matter" tell local media outlets the officer had accompanied and his brother and woman to Hudson where the woman was arrested for allegedly buying heroin. Hudson's police chief says the officer was at the wheel of a car when it was pulled over in the city March 10. [TU] [Troy Record] [News10]

As the state budget process heads into crunch time, advocates were at the Capitol Monday pushing for a $1.3 billion increase in funding for school districts. Advocates say the currently proposed budget is short about $500 million in needed funding. [TU] [TWCN]

The company that runs the Knolls Atomic Power Lab says federal budget cuts could result in the shutdown one of the nuclear reactors at the Kesselring site in Milton at which the Navy trains reactor operators. A Navy commander says the cut could mean significant reductions in the number of staff and students at the site. Economic development officials in Saratoga County say the training site has an important, if perhaps not necessarily prominent, role in the local economy because of the jobs there. [Daily Gazette] [Saratogian] [TU]

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has asked Global Companies to answer 29 questions about its crude oil operations in the state (including at the Port of Albany) as the agency reviews the company's permits. [Capital]

Troy police say they're investigating two shootings Monday night that resulted in at least one person being injured. [TU]

State Police say they arrested a Washington County man overnight for allegedly setting fire to his own house. [NYSP]

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is investigating what appears to be the dumping of about 100 dead birds in Nassau. Said the man who found them of the types of birds: "Ducks, turkeys, and unusual looking ducks, they don't look like anything I've ever seen before." [TU] [TWCN]

Issue at the center of the trial of a 19-year-old Gloversville woman accused of stabbing a cabdriver in Schenectady: not whether she stabbed the man -- but rather whether her mental state merits a not guilty because of mental illness verdict. The woman has exhibited odd behavior during the trial, including eating tissues during her attorney's closing argument. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

One of the issues in circulation ahead of the state budget: a proposed system for settling payments between doctors and health plans when patients go to out-of-network doctors -- so that patients don't get stuck with huge bills after they've made an effort to stay in network. [TU]

The state Gaming Commission has hired a law firm based in Ohio to help with the vetting of casino applications. The firm has assisted other states with similar work -- and it's also represented gambling companies. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

A Schenectady city councilman says the city's garbage trucks are getting into too many accidents -- including an alleged incident in which a driver fell out of his truck. [Daily Gazette]

Question on the civil-service-test-parking-destroys-Guilderland-school-field story: How did twice the number of expected test takers show up at that location? [TWCN] [TU]

The pastor of the Troy church that gave away another gun Monday night: "Jesus wouldn't have to have (a weapon) because he's God Almighty and didn't need one, but his disciples carried swords for 3 1/2 years and he never told them one time to put them down." [WNYT]

A Schenectady High School team will be competing in an international NASA robot competition this summer. [TU] [News10]

Six sites in the greater Capital Region have been nominated by the state for possible eventual inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. [TU]