All Over Albany

Snow emergencies, feds reportedly investigating systemic state corruption, supplies of road salt are tight, Troy Atrium courtyard for sale

Both Albany (starting 8 pm Tuesday) and Troy (8 am Tuesday) have declared so emergencies, along with a handful of other local municipalities. [City of Albany] [City of Troy] [TU]

A federal Department of Justice official tells WSJ that federal prosecutors are working a wide-ranging investigation of corruption involving state politicians and could end up issuing a report on systemic corruption. [WSJ]

Prominent Halfmoon developer Bruce Tanski was sentenced to three years probation and 200 hours of community service as part of the deal for his guilty plea to charges that he funneled campaign contributions through other donors in order to exceed contribution limits. The community service is connected with a charity to which Tanski is already associated, and for which his daughter is listed as the president. [TU] [Daily Gazette]

The Schenectady City Council approved zoning changes for the Mohawk Harbor casino site that allow increased building heights and larger signage. Councilman Vince Riggi abstained from the vote, repeating his objection that the council didn't have enough info about the building designs involved. [TU] [Daily Gazette] [WNYT]

Troy officials are looking into another suspicious fire in Lansingburgh. Officials say the fire fits the pattern of suspected arsons in the neighborhood. The city's arson task force is now investigating 13 fires. [Troy Record] [TU] [News10]

The state Senate confirmed two new judges for the state's highest court, Leslie Stein and Eugene Fahey. Andrew Cuomo has now appointed four of the Court of Appeal's seven judges. [NYT] [TU]

The Cuomo admin is projecting the Start-Up NY program will give out more than $100 million in tax breaks this year, according to budget docs. [Capital]

The panel set up by the Cuomo admin to take ideas from local municipalities about how to reduce costly mandates and other red tape has ended, without a single suggestion in the last year according to state Senator Jack Martins. [TU]

Carl Heastie has supported legalizing professional MMA bouts in the state, so now that he's Assembly speaker will it happen? [Daily Gazette]

Critics of oil trains rallied in front of the state Department of Environmental Conservation building in downtown Albany Monday, pushing for greater transparency about the shipments to the Port of Albany. [TWCN] [TU]

The series of snow storms has put a strain on road salt supplies. A Saratoga County official tells the Record that treating roads for a 24-hour storm can cost $55,000 in salt. [WNYT] [Troy Record]

A hot item at hardware stores: roof rakes. [Daily Gazette]

Chris Churchill does some math on Columbia Development's attempt to claim $1 million from Albany County for job creation at the Vista (Not Yet) Tech Campus, despite not yet hitting the target. [TU]

State Police say they stopped an Albany man on the Thruway in Guilderland who allegedly had about 23 pounds of pot in his vehicle. [NYSP]

A water main break and resulting flood prompted the closure of Cohoes City Hall Monday. It's the city's sixth water main break in the last two weeks. [TU] [Troy Record]

The city of Troy has placed the Troy Atrium courtyard up for sale. [TU]