All Over Albany

TU: sources say Rensselaer casino partners seek $10 million deal for Albany support, Schenectady judge orders dog euthanized, Cuomo expresses "total solidarity" with Israel

"Two people familiar with the proposal" tell the TU that the partners behind the proposed Rensselaer casino are offering Albany $1 million a year for 10 years in exchange for Common Council support of their $280 million riverfront project.[TU]

Tioga and Vernon Downs harness track/racino owner Jeff Gural on his concerns about the possible addition of four new casinos and the health of the industry: "This year has been a turning point. Everywhere you go casinos are down, all over. It's scary. If I was investing in casino stocks I'd really think twice."[Saratogian]

A study that concluded a $12.2 million hotel at the Rensselaer rail station would likely do well has apparently "faded out of sight" since the discussion of Rensselaer as a casino site. [TU]

In Israel on Wednesday, Andrew Cuomo announced "total Solidarity" with the country in the Gaza war. Cuomo plans to meet with wounded Israeli troops today. [WNYT][TWCN]

A Niskayuna priest pleaded guilty on Wednesday to endangering the welfare of a child as part of a plea deal. According to the terms of the deal, Reverend James Michael Taylor will not serve jail time. [TU][WNYT]

A repeat sex offender from Rochester who drove to Saratoga to have sex with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl he met online will spend 45-years behind bars. [WNYT]

A suspect in the stabbing of a woman in Colonie earlier this week previously served jail time for rape, attempted robbery and robbery and was picked up Wednesday for a parole violation. [WNYT][TU]

An Amber Alert has been issued for two young Amish girls who went missing in Saint Lawrence County last night.[WNYT]

A Schenectady judge has ordered that one of the two dogs who jumped out a window and attacked and killed a smaller dog, must be put down. [TU]

A Troy woman pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to two days in the sheriff's work order program for leaving two dogs inside a locked car at Hudson Valley Community College last month, in 81-degree heat without food or water. [TU]

For the second time the closing of the General Electric capacitor plant in Fort Edward will be pushed back. The plant will now stay open until at least June of 2015. [[Post Star][TU]

The Schenectady Metroplex has approved four new projects, including a matching $50 thousand grant to upgrade an 1880 building on Erie Blvd. [TU]

Rotterdam's water consultant on a burst pipe that flooded surrounding homes cost more than $80,000 to repair: "We wait until it gets to the point when we have no choice and when he do things under emergency it ends up costing us more money"[TU]
Rotterdam EMS crews have been working without a contract for the last nine months. [WNYT]

The Schenectady County Legislature has approved the first tuition hike in three years for Schenectady County Community college.
[Gazette]

SUNY is supporting Kirsten Gillibrand's bill to combat sexual assaults on college campuses. [WNYT]

Protecting health or infringing on rights? A look at two recent anti-smoking votes in Albany. [TU]

According to a report in a Buffalo business publication, Albany has the ninth-oldest housing stock in the U.S. [TU]

The US military detonated 180 Civil War-era cannonballs at a quarry in South Glens Falls that had been stored in the Watervliet Arsenal Museum in an effort to keep the public safe. [Saratogian]

Edward Scharfenberger on settling into life as the new bishop of Albany. [TU]

NYRA officially announced on Wednesday that Larry Collmus, the "Voice of the Triple Crown" will replace track announcer Tom Durkin at the end of the Saratoga Season.
[Saratogian]

While Andrew Cuomo is away, Lt. Governor Bob Duffy is having some fun with the cat. [Daily Politics]