All Over Albany

Authorities hoping to identify body found in Glenville today, Colonie pushing for demolition of Central Ave motels, details on new SUNY chancellor's residence in Albany

Update: Pablo Cruz, convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for striking and killing cyclist Paul Merges in Albany in November 12, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. [Albany County DA]

Authorities are hoping an autopsy of the body found near Freemans Bridge Road in Glenville scheduled for Friday morning will lead to an identity. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

Colonie police say a woman was fatally struck by a car on Broadway in Menands late Thursday afternoon. Police say it appears the woman had been attempting to cross the street with a shopping cart. Police say it appears the driver had slowed down for another pedestrian but didn't see the woman. [TU] [News10] [TWCN]

The town of Colonie is pushing the owner of the Skylane and Blu-Bell motels, currently closed for code violations, to demolish the properties by offering to drop $750k in fines the owner faces. The owner would also have to agree to not build another motel or boarding house at the sites on Central Ave. [TU] [TWCN]

State Police say five people have been charged with 106 counts each of failure to provide food and water in the case involving the Schaghticoke house alleged to contain more than 150 cats. The Humane Society says it's still in the process of gathering the cats from the site. [NYSP] [TWCN]

The attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging Albany County's redistricting accused the county of being "a recidivist offender of the Voting Rights Act." [TU]

The Troy City Council rejected a plan for a new courtroom for the new city court judge, which could result in a loss of state aid. [TU]

The latest spat between Troy and Brunswick is over sewer lines. Renssealer County leases Troy sewer lines that connect with Troy, and Brunswick officials allege Troy's administration of approvals for the lines has been a roadblock for development in the town. [TU] [Troy Record]

The Albany school board has bumped a public vote on a new high school from its scheduled January date. [TU]

SUNY is moving to buy the building on State Street in Albany across from Washington Park that's now serving as the residence for chancellor Nancy Zimpher. [TU]

There's a plan to run two oil/fuel pipelines between Albany and New Jersey. [TU]

The Salvation Army on Woodlawn in Saratoga Springs will serve as the city's "Code Blue" homeless shelter this winter. [Daily Gazette]

Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday's election: "'Well, come out for the state Senate,' was our best argument [for Democratic turnout]... You know what? It's hard to motivate people about a state Senate." [TU]

Andrew Cuomo's memoir has sold roughly 1,700 hard copies, according to Nielsen Bookscan. [TU]

Jim Tedisco on collecting campaign yard signs: "The only thing I think our constituents hate more than the signs going up is the signs not coming down." [Daily Gazette]

Albany, Schenectady, and Troy are banding together in an effort to score a $30k public art grant. [Troy Record]

The Albany surgeon who kept an organ in his basement. [TU]