All Over Albany

Opening arguments in Thomas retrial, new building for state DOT and Thruway Authority, spelling bee rep exits on velvety word

During opening arguments of the Adrian Thomas retrial, the prosecution argued the death of Thomas's infant son was "inflicted trauma" rather than "the result of any type of accident." The defense argued the prosecution has a weak case, and the plan to call Thomas's former cellmate to testify is a sign of "desperate measures." Thursday also include testimony from Thomas's stepdaughter, who yelled an obscenity at Thomas as she ran from the courtroom. [Troy Record] [News10] [WNYT] [TWCN] [TU]

The Cuomo admin has announced a plan to relocate the state Department of Transportation from its Wolf Road offices to a new building that the agency would share with the Thruway Authority. The new facility would be on the site of the current Thruway building near Exit 23 in Albany (map, and the former DOT building on Wolf Road would be sold. The move would also represent a not-quite merger between the DOT and Thruway Authority. [Cuomo admin] [TU]

The featured speaker at a community meeting to oppose a casino in East Greenbush -- Les Bernal of the Stop Predatory Gambling Foundation -- told the crowd that casinos are about draining money out of a community: "You know, there's no new money being created by casinos. It's just a transfer of money from the have-nots to the haves." [Troy Record] [TU] [TWCN]

State Police say they're trying to figure out what prompted the actions of the driver accused of fatally striking state trooper Christopher Skinner on I-81 near Binghamton this week. [TWCN]

Schenectady's police commissioner says the suspended city police detective accused of pointing his gun at two people during a road rage incident last year should be fired. [Daily Gazette]

A state judge has ruled that a state parole officer's failure to disclose a negative drug test result in a case involving an Albany man was "so misleading with regard to a material element of the proceeding as to be comparable to fraud or perjury." [TU]

A UAlbany grad student was visited by the FBI after he was temporarily detained by State Police recently for recording video outside the State Police headquarters on the Harriman State Office Campus. [TU]

A Niskayuna town court jury recently returned a two-count verdict in just three minutes. [Daily Gazette]

The Albany County Legislature charter review committee -- which is looking at potential changes to what's essentially the constitution of the county -- appears to be pushing toward a charter that reduces the power of the county exec. [TU]

The state Department of Transportation's recommendations for a new Rexford Bridge now include a four-lane bridge (map. [Daily Gazette]

State Police say they're still not sure what prompted the Lake George boat crash that killed prominent builder John Michaels, but it doesn't appear he suffered a heart attack or similar condition just before the crash. [TU]

The city of Troy is planning the emergency demolition of a building in North Central, the collapse of which damaged the building for the Troy Bike Rescue. [TU]

Prominent software company Apprenda is moving from Clifton Park to the Hedley Building in downtown Troy. Said Jesse Kliza, the company's senior director of marketing, in a press release: "We like the growing creative culture that Troy has, with its walkable downtown ... It's much more interesting than being in a corporate office park setting, and a lot of our employees live in Troy or nearby." [TU] [First Columbia press release]

The Capital Region's rep at the National Spelling Bee exited on the word "velutinous." [TU]