All Over Albany

Soares meets with former Moreland members, Thomas case goes to jury, Family offers reward for evidence in Milligan murder, East Greenbush board to vote on casino again, yogurt one step closer to becoming official state snack

David Soares held a secret meeting with members of the disbanded Moreland Commission to discuss "Moreland related matters."[TU]

Adrian Thomas' fate is now in the hands of a jury. Defense attorney Stephen Coffey gave a two hour, theatrical closing argumenton Wednesday in Thomas' retrial for the alleged murder of his one year old son. [WNYT][TU][TWCN]

The family of Vanessa Milligan, the pregnant woman who was killed in April in her Fifth Avenue apartment in Troy, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. At a press conference held by the family on Wednesday. Milligan's father said he's frustrated with the slow pace of the investigation and says the family believes they know who is responsible but law enforcement has been slow to act on the case. He told reporters "Imagine the most important person in your life was just killed and no one is doing anything. How would you feel?"[TU][WNYT][Record][TWCN

Evidence continues to be collected in the case of a 33-year-old Troy mother who was stabbed to death in her apartment early Tuesday in front of her three children.[TU]

The State Police Narcotics Enforcement team will add 100 investigators to help deal with the recent increase in heroin use.[NYT]

The East Greenbush town board will vote tonight for a second time on whether to support a $300 million casino in the town. [TU]

The victim in an alleged road rage incident by a Schenectady police officer, says the officer pointed a gun at him during the altercation, and is calling on the judge to turn down a plea deal being discussed in the case. The officer has been on paid leave for the last year and, under the terms of the proposed plea deal, would be allowed to retire with full pension. [TU][TU]

Columbia Development will be opening an office in the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineerings new ZEN building. [TU]

Phase two of the $1.3 million Lofts at Union Square has been approved by the Schenectady Metroplex board and construction is expected to begin this summer. [TU]

Saratogians Against Vegas-style Expansion, the group that protested a proposed casino in Saratoga Springs, wants to be sure the city council gets "involved agency" status on the proposed expansion of the racino.[TU]

The State Senate voted on Wednesday to make "revenge-porn" a crime. [Record]

Non-union "management/confidential" state employees who have gone without salary increases for five years have been approved for 2 percent raises retroactive to April.[TU]

Seventeen advocates for the disabled were arrested during a protest in the State Assembly chamber on Wednesday afternoon. [TU]

Six electric charging stations were unveiled at Albany Airport on Wednesday.[TWCN]

New York's liberty games -- a competition for amateur athletes--will include Mixed Martial Arts fighting. [Gazette]

A new documentary focuses on the relationship between Hillary Clinton and Troy businessman Rocco DeFazio.[TU]

The Assembly has put its stamp on a measure to make yogurt the official state snack -- the measure must now be approved by Andrew Cuomo. [Saratogian/AP]

The Senate voted this week on whether to make the wood frog the official state amphibian. [WXXI]

A survey by the media website, Vocativ, ranks Albany number 7 on the list of 35 most LGBT - friendly American Cities.[TU]

Grant's Cottage in Wilton will be featured on The History Channel's United Stuff of America.[Saratogian]