All Over Albany

Legislative session gets underway, Albany County bans toxic toys, arson ruled out in latest Troy fire, It. Is. Cold.

Today's high will be about 17 but the wind chill will make it feel much colder. The cold is causing school closings and delays throughout the Capital Region. [TWCN][TU]

The state legislative session began on Wednesday, in spite of the delay in the State of the State address. The Senate session of 2015 convened pretty calmly under new leadership.Things got off to a rough start in the Assembly where desk mics were cut off after several members criticized Sheldon's Silver's reelection as speaker. [WNYT][TU][Record]

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy signed a first-in-the-state ban on children's products containing a range of toxic substances. The new law bans children's products and clothing containing benzene, lead, mercury, antimony, arsenic cadmium and cobalt from being sold in the county. [News 10][TU]

Albany County executive Dan McCoy told a federal judge on Wednesday that he named the commission charged with carrying out the controversial 2011 redistricting process, but that he did not tamper with their work. [TU]

"People familiar with the case but not authorized to comment publicly" tell the Times Union that the recently retired former head of the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Service is expected to face criminal charges of misconduct, forcible touching and harassment, following an investigation into alleged mismanagement of harassment complaints in the department. [TU]

A body was discovered this morning inside the remains of a home that was gutted by fire overnight in the Washington County town of Kingsbury. [TU]

Troy police have ruled out a person of interest as a suspect in the recent string of Lansingburgh arsons. [WNYT]

Fire that destroyed a Lansingburgh furniture making business on Wednesday has been deemed not suspicious and not connected to a string of recent arsons in the neighborhood. [TU]

A Niskayuna homeowner defended himself against a burglary suspect, then called police and helped them capture the suspect. [TU]

A grand jury found a Queensbury man was justified in his role in a fatal love triangle shootout in 2012 because he was acting in self defense inside his own home. 57 year old Paul Wells will spend 90 days in jail in connection with the incident that killed Ralph Runnals, because he did not have a permit for the weapon used in the shooting. [WNYT]

A new proposed pipeline that would carry hydrofracked gas is slated to run through parts of Albany and Rensselaer Counties. [Record]

Saratoga Springs will begin a $2.6 million project this spring to overhaul Ballston Avenue to make it safer for both motorists and pedestrians.[Gazette]

A 69 page petition calling for additional charges agains Saratoga County deputy Shawn Glans, who quit his job after video surfaced of him allegedly calling for an illegal search, has been presented to the Special Prosecutor's office. [Gazette]

Troy Mayor Lou Rosamilia has announced a nine member committee to review the city's charter[TU]

Troy Republicans may be looking at a mayoral primary between councilman Jim Gordon and former mayoral candidate Carmella Mantello. [TU]

Taller buildings could be coming to Schenectady. [TU]

School districts in Albany and Schenectady are eligible for one of 25 Socioeconomic Integration Pilot Program grants which could mean up to $1.25 million in state aid. [TU]

A study of accidents on Route 5 in Albany, Colonie and Schenectady concludes about half the accidents are caused by the pedestrians and about a third involve mistakes by drivers. [TU]

A federal appeals court in Manhattan has ruled that New York State's vaccine requirement for public school children does not violate the rights of the children. [NYT]

SenateRepublicans are expected to be more supportive than assembly Democrats of Andrew Cuomo's push for a rigorous teacher evaluation system. [CNY]

How Sheldon Silver has managed to stay in power through five different governors. [Buffalo News]

Chuck Shumer wants to see daily federal screening for all airport and airline workers, not just pilots and flight crews. [News 10]

The Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic are accepting applications and offering what it says are a "significant number" of full and partial scholarships. [TU]

Former Ualbany athletic director Lee McElroy has been hired by RPI as interim athletic director to replace Jim Knowlton, who is leaving for the US Air Force Academy.[TU]

A look at the 60 year "old school" love story of Mario and Matilda Cuomo. [TU]