All Over Albany

Fatal shooting in Albany, Troy police stepping up presence downtown, focus on future of Saratoga racino, alleged restaurant burglar arrested

Albany police say a man was fatally shot in the South End neighborhood shortly after 6 pm Thursday (map). APD says it's investigating and no arrests had been made. [TU] [News10]

APD says the shooting on Elk Street in West Hill (map) Wednesday afternoon appears to have been a robbery. [News10]

Schenectady police say it appears an argument prompted at least one shot to be fired on a Mont Pleasant street Thursday afternoon (map), but no one was injured. No arrests were made. [Daily Gazette] [TU]

Following the shooting of five people early Sunday morning on Fourth Street in downtown Troy, on Thursday mayor Lou Rosamilia announced the Troy Police Department would be increasing its presence in the area this Saturday night, and increased patrols would also be targeted to areas where data indicate there's a crime hotspot. TPD chief John Tedesco says the department believes the Fourth Street shooting was connected to an ongoing feud between groups in Albany and Troy. [TU] [TWCN] [Troy Record]

Troy police say there was a stabbing on River Street in North Central (map) Thursday afternoon. [News10]

Three Capital Region counties are getting state money for anti-gun violence efforts: Albany ($858k), Rensselaer ($594k), and Schenectady ($744k). [TU] [Cuomo admin]

Another state inspection sweep of freight rail cars carrying crude oil and ethanol found 5 defects (out of 120 tanker cars inspected) at the Kenwood Yard near the Port of Albany, and no defects in cars at the Selkirk Yard. [TU] [Cuomo admin]

The latest version of an environmental review application necessary for the expansion of the Saratoga Casino and Raceway omits Saratoga County and the city of Saratoga Springs from a category that would give the two municipalities some measure of influence over the project. A state gaming law allows the racino to bypass the normal local land-use boards that would typically review a project like this. [TU] [Saratogian]

Saratoga Springs city officials say they're preparing for possible lower VLT aid payments if a full casino elsewhere in the Capital Region pulls gambling business away from the racino. [WNYT]

The judge in the retrial of Joe Bruno has granted a Bruno request for shorter trial days because of medical reasons -- if Bruno doesn't use the extra time for press conferences. Other Bruno defense requests didn't fare so well. The retrial is scheduled to start Monday. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [TWCN]

It sounds like the situation surrounding the Albany County nursing home is still far from settled. [TU]

A survey of a handful of local school districts by the Daily Gazette found the number of students who have opted out of Common Core testing is increasing, but still relatively low. [Daily Gazette]

The Troy City Council passed a resolution requesting a state investigation into the ordered closure of the Ark Community Charter School. [Troy Record]

Albany police say they've arrested a man accused of a string of burglaries at well-known restaurants around the city -- in burglary he's accused of using an acetylene torch to open an ATM. [News10]

Rotterdam police say the driver of the tractor trailer that flipped on a ramp from I-890 to the Thruway Thursday told them he had been talking on his phone at the time of the accident. [Daily Gazette]

Saratoga County DA Jim Murphy explaining on children-left-in-car situations, following the charge against a Ballston Spa woman last week for leaving her baby in a car for a few minutes: "The focus we always have is most mothers don't intend to do anything wrong to their child ... The problem is what if she trips on the stairs and hits her head, and nobody knew about the child?" [Daily Gazette]

A colder-than-usual March has prompted higher-than-usual electricity bills. [TU]