All Over Albany

Questioning numbers from local IDAs, Cuomo visits Afghanistan, tenants caught in landlord-city situation over water bill

A Times Union review of data from local industrial development agencies -- the orgs that hand out many tax breaks to businesses and property developers -- concludes almost a third of projects haven't met their promised levels of job creation (or the reported numbers are somehow flawed). [TU]

Consensus from local law enforcement officials: this area is experiencing a spike in heroin trade and use. A ride-along with the investigation and bust of an alleged heroin distribution operation in Colonie. [TU x2]

The new Albany County land bank has an executive director, $500k to start, and 83 properties. (And Troy also recently got the OK for a land bank.) [TU] [Troy Record]

Andrew Cuomo made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan this past weekend as part of a delegation of US governors. Cuomo said the trip was related to learning about counterterrorism efforts: "I'm doing my job as governor of New York, that's exactly what this is about." [NYT] [TU]

A survey of the race in the 46th state Senate district between incumbent Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk and Republican challenger George Amedore, which could decide which party controls the state Senate. [NYSNYS/Saratogian]

The 113th state Assembly district -- which includes Saratoga Springs -- hasn't had a rep for 9 months, and local officials say that's been hurting the district. [Daily Gazette]

The state Board of Elections has bounced the gubernatorial nominating petitions for Jimmy McMillan of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party. [TU]

Takeaway from review of how SUNY campuses are handling reports of sexual assault and harassment: each campus is facing variations on the problem, leading to a range of potential responses. [AP/TU]

A group of tenants in Troy are facing the impending cancelation of their water service -- again -- because the city says their landlord is delinquent on the water bill. [TU]

An Albany couple has filed the precursor to a lawsuit against the city and county of Albany alleging negligence in enforcing building codes after the vacant house adjacent to their Clinton Ave home collapsed this past summer. [TU]

The city of Schenectady still doesn't have space for its new fourth city court judge. [Daily Gazette]

The Saratoga County sheriff's department says it hired two clerks to help with paperwork associated with the SAFE Act. [Daily Gazette]

Albany police say a motorcycle rider died in a crash on Washington Ave Extension near the NanoCollege Friday night. [WNYT]

Troy police say they've arrested two people for an alleged armed robbery near Bombers in Troy Thursday night. [News10]

Said the "mayor" of Albany's Grand Street about a recent cookout in response to gun violence in the neighborhood: "The point is to let them know that we're not afraid." [TU]

The DEC says an estimated 7,000 gallons of sewage spilled from the Sagamore's wastewater system into Lake George last week. [Post-Star]

A preliminary report from the NTSB about the fatal plane crash at the South Albany Airport includes accounts from witnesses of what sounded like engine trouble, but no definitive causes. [TU]

At her book signing/talk about UAlbany this past weekend, Kirsten Gillibrand said she'd continue to push her bill to move the decision to prosecute sexual assault cases in the military from commanders to military prosecutors, and believes it will eventually pass. And on being a feminist: "Well, some people think they're dirty words. I don't ... I'm an ambitious feminist." [TU] [TWCN]

A Saint Rose professor from Sierra Leone -- his parents are in a quarantine area -- is raising money to help fight the ebola epidemic there. [TU]

RPI is scheduled to test its public alert system Monday afternoon. [@RPInews]